Ranchi/Varanasi — Brijesh Ganjhu alias Gopal Singh Bhokta, a wanted leader of the banned Tritiya Prastuti Committee (TPC) from Jharkhand’s Chatra district, was killed in an encounter with the Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) in Varanasi early Sunday, officials said.
Ganjhu, a resident of Lawalong in Chatra, was carrying a combined bounty of Rs 30 lakh announced by the Jharkhand government and the National Investigation Agency (NIA). His death marks a significant development for security agencies tracking the TPC’s activities and its alleged extortion network in Jharkhand.
The encounter took place around 5 a.m. near Tengra Mod under the Ramnagar police station area of Varanasi. According to security officials, the UP ATS had received intelligence that Ganjhu was travelling by motorcycle towards Mughalsarai.
Acting on the information, an ATS team laid a trap and intercepted the motorcycle. Police said Ganjhu opened fire when he was signalled to stop, following which ATS personnel returned fire.
Ganjhu suffered bullet injuries in the exchange and was taken to a district hospital, where doctors declared him dead.
ATS Deputy Superintendent of Police Vipin Rai said bullets fired by Ganjhu struck the bulletproof jackets of both him and Head Constable Nitendra Krishna. One of Ganjhu’s associates escaped from the spot.
The ATS recovered two pistols, live cartridges and spent ammunition from the encounter site. Ganjhu’s body has been kept at the post-mortem facility of Lal Bahadur Shastri Hospital in Varanasi.
Ganjhu had been wanted in several criminal cases registered in Jharkhand and other states, including cases related to murder, extortion and illegal arms. The NIA was also looking for him in connection with a terror-financing case linked to the TPC.
The Jharkhand government had announced a reward of Rs 25 lakh for information leading to his arrest, while the NIA had separately announced a Rs 5 lakh bounty.
Investigators have alleged that Ganjhu played a key role in a levy and extortion network targeting businesses involved in coal mining, transportation and contracting activities. Such levy networks have been a major source of illegal financing for armed extremist groups operating in parts of Jharkhand.
Ganjhu’s death is now expected to prompt security agencies in Jharkhand to review cases and intelligence inputs concerning his alleged associates, financial networks and the TPC’s activities in the state.
–IANS