Top Maoist Leader With Rs 1 Cr Bounty Killed In Encounter In Jharkhand
Jharkhand police and CoBRA killed 3 top Naxalites, including Sahdev Soren, in Pati Piri forest. Weapons seized; operation ongoing after intelligence on planned attacks.
Security forces killed at least three Naxalites with a combined bounty of Rs 1.35 crore on them. These Naxalites were killed in the Pati Piri forest of Jharkhand’s Hazaribagh district, as informed by Superintendent of Police Anjani Anjan on Monday.
According to the SP, Sahdev Soren (alias Parvesh), who was a member of the Central Committee, had a reward of Rs 1 crore on his head. Meanwhile, the other Naxalite who was neutralized, Raghunath Hembram, was a member of the Bihar-Jharkhand Special Area Committee and carried a reward of Rs 25 lakh. Birsen Ganjhu (alias Ramkhelavan), a member of the regional committee, carried a reward of Rs 10 lakh.
The police force also recovered ammunition and weapons, including an AK-47, from the encounter spot. The operation is still ongoing, with security forces raiding the area in search of other Naxalites.
On Sunday, the 209 CoBRA battalion, along with the Hazaribagh police, carried out a joint search operation, during which an encounter broke out with the Naxalites in the Pati Piri forest under the Gorhar police station area of Hazaribagh district.
Hazaribagh, Jharkhand | Sahdeo Soren, a Central Committee Member of CPI(Maoist) carrying Rs 1 Crore on his head, killed in an encounter with a joint team of CoBRA battalion, Giridih and Hazaribagh Police. Naxal commanders Raghunath Hembram@Chanchal and Birsen Ganjhu@Ramkhelawan… pic.twitter.com/xfHThf1FW8
— ANI (@ANI) September 15, 2025
In July, CCM member Sahdev Soren was involved in a separate exchange of fire that left a security personnel dead. According to Bokaro SP Harvinder Singh, a bullet struck a jawan of the 209 battalion during a police search operation, following intelligence suggesting that the group was planning a “major incident.”
Earlier, on September 7 in Chaibasa, Aaptan, a senior leader of the banned Communist Party of India (Maoist), was killed in a gunfight, SP Rakesh Ranjan confirmed.
Aaptan, also known as Amit Hansda, carried a Rs 10 lakh reward and had over 95 cases registered against him, including involvement in the killings of multiple police officers and civilians.
Authorities said the operation was launched after intelligence on September 6 indicated that top Maoist leaders were planning major attacks and attempting to recruit new cadres.
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