THE JHARKHAND STORY DESK
Latehar, May 26: Security forces achieved a major success in Latehar district on Sunday night, neutralizing a Naxalite/ Maoist insurgent and apprehending another during a targeted operation based on precise intelligence inputs.
In the late-night joint operation led by Latehar SP Kumar Gaurav, teams from Mahuatand police station, Baresand police station, and the Special Task Force moved into the forested area between Karamkhar and Douna in Mahuatand police station limits. As the team approached the location, Maoists opened fire, prompting retaliatory action from the forces.
Also Read- DCs of 20 Jharkhand districts reshuffled; Ajaynath Jha appointed Bokaro DC
In the ensuing exchange, Manish Yadav, a Maoist carrying a bounty of ₹5 lakh, was killed on the spot. Another insurgent, Kundan Kherwar, who carried a ₹10 lakh reward on his head, was captured while attempting to flee.
Following the encounter, CRPF and SET units reached the site to provide backup and launched an intensive search operation in the surrounding forest area, recovering a firearm during the sweep.
Manish Yadav was a notorious Maoist operative, accused in over 50 violent incidents across Jharkhand’s Latehar, Palamu, Garhwa, and Chatra districts, as well as Bihar’s Gaya and Aurangabad regions. He was previously active in Bihar before joining Maoist squads operating in the Burha Pahad region.
Also Read- SC collegium recommends 3 HC judges for Supreme Court appointment
He was implicated in several high-profile attacks, including the infamous Katia encounter in which 13 CRPF personnel were martyred, one of whom had an explosive device planted in his abdomen. He was also a prime accused in the Polpol Maoist attack in Garhwa, where six jawans lost their lives.