Patna, July 1: A self-proclaimed zonal commander of CPI(Maoist), Birendra Yadav alias Rana, was killed along with another member of the outfit in Rohtas district on Thursday night.
One AK-56 rifle, 18 rounds of ammunition and six mobile phones were seized from the possession of the dreaded Naxalite leader. It has been alleged that the Naxalite leader was killed by his rival group.
Director-general of police (DGP) Neel Mani told The Telegraph Rana, a self-styled commander of Sone-Vindhyachak zone, was found murdered with his associate Bishnudev at Baulia village under Chutia police station in Rohtas district on Friday.
Internal rivalry betweenthe erstwhile Maoist Communist Centre and People’s War Group is stated to be the reason behind the incident, Neel Mani said.
The police said Rana was involved in over 50 Naxalite-related incidents in Rohtas and Kaimur districts. His name had also figured in the killing of former divisional forest officer of Rohtas, Sanjay Singh. Sanjay had been gunned down by the rebels at Rehal village on the Kaimur hills in 2002.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is investigating the divisional forest officer’s murder case.
Sources said Rana, a resident of neighbouring Aurangabad district, had gone to Nagatoli village on Thursday night. The residents of the area heard sound of gunshots late in the night. The next morning, the bodies of Rana and Bishnudev were found near Baulia village.
On getting the information about the bodies, a police team led by assistant superintendent of police Binod Mandal and sub-divisional police officer (SDPO) of Dehri Mohammad Ali Ansari rushed to the spot and took the bodies into their custody.
Police sources told The Telegraph one AK-56 rifle, 18 live cartridges and six mobile phones were seized from the possession of the deceased Maoists.
Subsequently, a joint police team of the Special Task Force, Central Reserve Police Force and the Border Security Force launched a combing operation in the forest.
SDPO Ansari said Rana was a resident of Dhibra police station area in Aurangabad district. “He was active in the region for the past decade,” said Ansari.
The state police headquarters had submitted a proposal to the state government to declare Rs 50,000 for the arrest of Rana, who used to operate in Rohtas and Kaimur regions. The proposal was later approved by the Bihar government.
Additional SP Kumar Amar Singh said the UP government had also announced a reward of Rs 2 lakh on Rana’s head.
Bishnudev was also a resident Rohtas district. Police officials of Rohtas and Kaimur districts are heaving a sigh of relief following the murder of the zonal commander, who took part in almost all major operations in the bordering areas of Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh.
