Bokaro (Jharkhand) [India], July 16 : Constable Praneswar Koch of the CRPF's 209 CoBRA unit succumbed to a bullet injury sustained during an anti-Naxal operation in Jharkhand's Bokaro district, officials said on Wednesday.
The 33-year-old jawan, a resident of Kokrajhar in Assam, was critically injured during an exchange of fire with Naxals early Tuesday morning and later succumbed to his injuries, they said.
Earlier in the day, security forces neutralised Kunwar Manjhi, a sub-zonal Naxal commander of the outlawed CPI (Maoist), who carried a bounty of Rs 5 lakh on his arrest.
According to the CRPF, the exchange of fire reportedly began around 6:30 am and was part of a joint operation carried out by the Jharkhand Police and the CRPF's 209 COBRA (Commando Battalion for Resolute Action) unit --a specialised unit of the CRPF trained in guerrilla warfare and jungle operations.
The security forces recovered an AK-47 rifle from the site, indicating the high-ranking status of the slain Naxals. Manjhi was a sub-zonal commander of the outlawed CPI (Maoist), a group that has been responsible for numerous attacks on security personnel and infrastructure in Jharkhand and other Naxal-affected regions, the CRPF said.
This operation is considered a significant success for the ongoing anti-Naxal campaign in the region, which has seen intensified efforts in recent months to dismantle insurgent networks operating in the forested and hilly terrains of central and eastern India.
Jharkhand remains one of the states most affected by Naxalite insurgency, with districts like Bokaro, Latehar, and Chatra frequently witnessing encounters between security forces and Naxal cadres.
The COBRA force's deployment in anti-Naxal operations has been crucial in weakening Maoist influence across several states, including Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, and Bihar.
Security agencies have intensified their operations ahead of Independence Day, a period often considered a time of heightened threat from Maoist elements. Today's encounter reflects the continued commitment of central and state forces to counter left-wing extremism and ensure security in affected regions.