Jharkhand: Leader of banned Maoist group killed in gunfight with security forces

Representative Image. Pic/iStock

An area commander of the banned People's Liberation Front of India (PLFI), a splinter group of CPI (Maoist), was killed in a gunfight between the members of the outfit and security forces in Jharkhand's Ranchi district, police said on Tuesday.

The encounter took place at around 11.30 pm on Monday in Thakurgaon police station area of the district, some 40 kilometres from the state capital.

Also read: Delhi HC prohibits unauthorised recording, live streaming of court proceedings

The deceased was identified as Vishal Sharma alias Vishal Sahu, who was wanted in several cases and was active in Budmu, Thakurgaon and other areas, Ranchi Rural SP Naushad Alam told PTI.

Ranchi Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Kushor Kaushal had got a tip-off that the area commander reached Thakurgaon with his team to collect levy from a businessman. The SSP then directed security forces to go to Thakurgaon.

On seeing them, the PLFI members started spraying bullets and the personnel returned the fire, Alam said adding that the area commander was killed in the shootout.

Other members of the outfit, however, managed to escape under the cover of darkness.

A search operation is on in the area.

This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever.