Palamu- Security forces eliminated a Maoist carrying a bounty of ₹5 lakh during an encounter in Palamu district of Jharkhand on Sunday morning. An INSAS rifle and other materials were seized from the location.
The Maoist was identified as Mukhdev, also known as Mukesh Yadav, affiliated with the banned TSPC faction of CPI (Maoist). He was a close associate of the Shashikant gang and had been operating across Palamu and nearby regions for years.
The operation began around 7 a.m. along the Tarhasi–Manatu border. Police officials confirmed that Mukhdev was killed on the spot, and follow-up searches are ongoing to flush out remaining cadres.
The encounter comes days after the September 4 gun battle in which two security personnel lost their lives in Palamu. Mukhdev, police said, belonged to the same squad led by Shashikant Ganjhu, who continues to direct extortion and violent operations in the Palamu–Chatra belt.
Earlier this month, another high-profile Maoist carrying a ₹10 lakh bounty, Amit Hasda alias Aaptan, was killed in a similar operation in West Singhbhum’s Saranda forest.
With inputs from IANS