3 PLFI ultras killed in encounter in West Singhbhum, 1 held
JAMSHEDPUR: Three suspected members of the People’s Liberation Front of India (PLFI) were killed and one injured ultra was held after an early morning encounter with police and CRPF Battalion-60 in forests of Manmadhubra and Kentai hillocks under Tebo police station in West Singhbhum district of Jharkhand on Thursday, police said.
“Three PLFI extremists have been killed and their bodies have been recovered from the encounter site inside Manmadhubera jungles. Another ultra from the extremist outfit, injured in the encounter, has been arrested. He would be of great help in identifying the slain extremists and give an insight into Naxal network in the area and their activities,” said Saket Kumar Singh, state inspector general (IG, Operation).
The injured ultra was identified as Manoj Hansda and was taken to Chaibasa sadar hospital for treatment.
With this, 10 LWE extremists have been killed in the state by police this year, including three women Maoists killed on April 4.Kolhan DIG Rajiv Ranjan said the slain ultras were identified as PLFI area commander Champa, his wife, and Modi
› Joint forces have recovered an AK-47 assault rifle, three 315 rifles, country-made pistols, ammunition and other materials from the encounter sites. RAJIV RANJAN, Kolhan DIG
alias Uncle. “Joint forces have recovered an AK-47 assault rifle, three 315 rifles, countrymade pistols, ammunition and other materials from the encounter sites. We appeal to the LWE ultras to surrender with their weapons and benefit from the state government’s surrender policy,” said Ranjan.
The encounter took place when the joint forces were patrolling the forests near Manmadhubera and Kentai villages on Thursday morning.
The PLFI ultras opened fire on the police, officials said.
“With the police busy in enforcing lockdown and battling against the Covid-19 pandemic in the state, Maoists, PLFI ultras and other banned LWE outfits have been trying to exploit the situation and have been killing innocent village residents by branding them as police informers to spread panic,” the Kolhan DIG said.