Ranchi/Gumla, September 24: Jharkhand Police achieved a major breakthrough against Naxalites after three militants of the Jharkhand Jan Mukti Parishad (JJMP) were killed in an encounter in Gumla district.
The operation was carried out jointly by the Jharkhand Jaguars, Gumla and Lohardaga Police in the forests of Rogritoli, Kechki, under Bishanpur police station limits.
Among the dead were two sub-zonal commanders, Lalu Lohara and Chhotu Oraon, both carrying rewards of ₹5 lakh each. Lalu Lohara was a resident of Lohardaga and an AK-47 rifle was recovered from him. Chhotu Oraon, originally from Latehar, also carried a bounty and held the position of sub-zonal commander.
The third slain militant was identified as Sujit Oraon, a JJMP cadre from Lohardaga.
According to police, the encounter began after information was received about a group of six to seven militants assembling on the Lohardaga–Gumla border. Acting on this input, security forces launched a search operation.
When the team reached Rogritoli, the militants opened fire. The forces retaliated and in a fierce gun battle, three militants were killed on the spot, while some others managed to escape into the dense forest despite being injured.
Three weapons, including an AK-47, were recovered from the encounter site.
Security forces later recovered the bodies of the slain militants and intensified search operations in the surrounding forest to track down those who fled.
