Jharkhand police crack down on Maoists: 32 killed, 266 arrested, 30 surrender in 2025
Ranchi, Oct 14: In a major push against Left-Wing Extremism, the Jharkhand Police, led by DGP Anurag Gupta, have intensified operations across Maoist-affected…
Ranchi, Oct 14: In a major push against Left-Wing Extremism, the Jharkhand Police, led by DGP Anurag Gupta, have intensified operations across Maoist-affected districts, achieving significant success this year. According to IG (Operations) Dr Michaelraj S, security forces between January and September 2025 have killed 32 Maoists, arrested 266 others, and recovered a large cache of weapons and explosives during targeted anti-Naxalite drives.
Major Recoveries from Naxalite Strongholds
From January to September 2025, Jharkhand Police recovered a total of 157 weapons — including 58 stolen from the police, 20 regular firearms, and 68 country-made guns. The forces also seized 11,950 bullets, 18,884 detonators, 394.5 kilograms of explosives, and levy money worth ₹39.53 lakh. During operations, police destroyed 37 bunkers and neutralised 228 IEDs planted by Maoists in forested areas.
Dr. Michaelraj said the coordinated operations have “weakened the supply chain and command structure of Maoist groups operating in Jharkhand.”
Top Maoist Leaders Among 266 Arrested
A total of 266 Maoists were arrested in the first nine months of 2025. Among those captured are several key leaders, including Akram Ganjhu alias Ravindra Ganjhu, a Regional Committee Member (TSPC) carrying a reward of ₹15 lakh; Ranvijay Mahato, a Regional Committee Member (Maoist) with a reward of ₹15 lakh; and Kundan Kherwar alias Sudhir Singh, a Zonal Commander (Maoist) with a ₹10 lakh bounty. Other notable arrests include Gautam Yadav, Sandeep alias Hidima Padeyam, Sunil Munda alias Bharat ji, Rupesh Kumar, Sanjeet Kumar alias Sanjeet Giri alias Sanjeet Das alias Vikrant ji, Krishna Yadav alias Tufan ji alias Sultan ji, Durga Singh alias Panjri Singh, Jitendra Singh Kherwar alias Bajrangi, Murali Bhuiya alias Chhotu ji alias Pappu ji, Prachin Ekka, and Shiva Bodra alias Shibu, all active members of CPI (Maoist), TSPC, PLFI, and JJMP outfits.
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Surrender of 30 Maoists in 2025
Police also reported the surrender of 30 Maoists during this period. Those who laid down arms include Ravindra Yadav, a Zonal Commander; Anand Singh alias Kaltu Singh alias Bhagwan, a Sub-Zonal Commander (Maoist) from Latehar; Lovelesh Ganjhu alias Lokesh Ganjhu, a Sub-Zonal Commander (JJMP) from Latehar; as well as Akhilesh Yadav and Dhruv ji alias Raju Ram, both active area commanders.
Authorities credited the surrenders to the state’s rehabilitation policy and sustained operational pressure.
32 Maoists Killed in Encounters
Between January and September 2025, 32 Maoists were killed in encounters with security forces. The slain extremists include high-ranking leaders such as Vivek alias Prayag Manjhi and Anuj alias Sahdev Soren, both Central Committee Members (Maoist) carrying rewards of ₹1 crore each. Others killed include Arvind Yadav alias Ashok, Birsen Manjhi alias Chanchal, Matin Kerkeshta, Saheb Ram Manjhi alias Rahul, Vinay Ganjhu alias Sanju Ganjhu, Khelwan Ganjhu alias Chhota Birsen, Apatan alias Amit Hansda, Pappu Lohara alias Suryadev Lohara, Manish Yadav alias Manish ji, Sudesh Ganjhu alias Prabhat ji, Kunwar Majhi alias Shahdev Manjhi alias Sade, Mukhdev Yadav alias Tufan ji, Lalu Lohara, Chhotu Oraon, Hemanti Majhiyan, Shanti Devi, Arun alias Varun alias Nilesh Makdam, Sujeet Oraon, Dilip Lohara alias Deepak Lohara, Samudra Lohara, Sunil Munda, and Rahul Turi alias Alok ji, along with several others.
The police said these encounters have significantly disrupted Maoist operations in Latehar, Chatra, Gumla, and Simdega districts.
Cybercrime Wing Delivers Strong Results
While countering Maoist violence, Jharkhand Police also stepped up the fight against cybercrime in August and September 2025. During this period, 128 cybercrime cases were registered, leading to the arrest of 105 accused. Police recovered 139 mobile phones, 166 SIM cards, 60 ATM cards, 15 bank passbooks, 11 cheque books, two laptops, three bikes, and ₹2.81 lakh in cash.
Through the Dial-1930 Cyber Helpline (NCRP), officials froze ₹7.42 crore linked to cyber fraud and refunded ₹37.28 lakh to victims. The Pratibimb App, launched to identify online fraudsters, helped detect three major cases, resulting in eight arrests.
Crime Control and Case Disposal Report
In August and September 2025, police executed 12,651 warrants and made 4,186 arrests. A total of 413 vehicles and 136 weapons were seized, while 1,221 bullets were fired during operations. Under the Investigation Tracking System for Sexual Offences (ITSSO), 297 cases were completed within the prescribed 60 days.
According to the August 2025 report, Jharkhand had 48,808 pending cases at the end of July. During August, 4,926 new cases were registered and 6,090 disposed of, leaving 45,644 cases pending.
Maoist Influence Declining Across Jharkhand
Senior officials said that continuous operations, enhanced intelligence, and community engagement have reduced Maoist activity in the state. The Jharkhand Police remain committed to eliminating Left-Wing Extremism and maintaining peace in affected regions.
