Two senior leaders of the Jharkhand Jan Mukti Parishad (JJMP), a splinter Maoist outfit, were killed in a gunfight on Saturday during an anti-Naxal operation in the forests of Latehar district. One of the slain militants, Pappu Lohra, was the supremo of the JJMP and carried a bounty of Rs 10 lakh on his head. His associate, identified as Prabhat Ganjhu, had a reward of Rs 5 lakh.
The gun battle took place under the jurisdiction of the Latehar Police Station and was the result of a joint operation by the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and the Jharkhand Police, launched on the basis of intelligence input regarding the presence of Lohra and his group in the area.
According to Palamu DIG YS Ramesh, the Maoists opened fire on the approaching security personnel, prompting a retaliatory response. Both Lohra and Ganjhu were killed in the ensuing exchange of fire.
Latehar Superintendent of Police Kumar Gaurav led the operation, which is reportedly still ongoing. In addition to the two fatalities, another JJMP member was injured and subsequently arrested. Security forces also recovered an INSAS rifle from the site.
The deaths of Lohra and Ganjhu mark a significant blow to the JJMP’s activities in the region, further weakening the influence of the renegade Maoist faction in Jharkhand.