Jharkhand Timeline 2011

Date

Incidents

January 2

A ‘zonal commander’ of TPC, a break away faction of the CPI-Maoist, identified as Devendra Ganju, was arrested from Simeria area in Chatra District. According to Police, the ‘zonal commander’ was wanted in more than 17 criminal cases and some incriminating documents were also recovered from him. The TPC is active in seven Districts of Jharkhand.

January 4

Averting a major tragedy, Police recovered 50 kilograms of IED during anti- CPI-Maoist operations in Latehar District. The IED bomb, planted beneath the road, was found near Hotwag village situated on the Ranchi-Daltonganj National Highway during a search operation. A 500 metre-long wire connected to the IED was also found. A bomb disposal squad reached the spot to defuse the IED.

A Maoist ‘commander’, identified as Birendra Yadav, was arrested from Garwah District.

January 6

The cadres of the CPI-Maoist abducted and killed a sarpanch in Khunti District, accusing him of being a Police informer. According to Police, Karam Singh Munda, was abducted by the Maoists from Arki market. He was first assaulted and later shot dead. Maoists left a pamphlet besides the body charging him being a Police informer.

January 7

The cadre of PLFI, a breakaway faction of the CPI-Maoist, killed a youth by slitting his throat in Gumla District. The victim is identified as Surendra Sao, a resident of Bakre village in the District, Police said.

January 8

Two extremists of the JJMM were arrested from their hideout in Kanke in Ranchi District. The extremists were identified as Rajesh Baitha alias Abhay Singh and Tara Sahu. Baitha was wanted in the abduction of one doctor at Lohardaga in 2008 and for giving extortion calls to businessmen. Police recovered a country made pistol and two bullets from his possession.

One top Maoist identified as Basudev Swansi of Kocha Sindri from Arki was arrested by the SFs during a patrol in the forest of Hindridih. Initially, Swansi tried to fool the SFs with his false identity but on verification from the local people, he was identified and arrested.

SFs recovered two claymore mines weighing 50 Kilograms at Hindridih in Tamar. SSP Ranchi, Praveen Kumar Singh said claymore mines were hidden by the Maoists to target SFs in anti-Maoists operation.

January 9

Three cadres of the CPI-Maoist were killed in an encounter with SFs at Hurlum forests in Hazaribagh District.

January 10

Jharkhand Police arrested five cadres of the CPI-Maoist, including a former ‘area commander’ identified as Turiya Arao, in Simdega District. Arao was associated with the CPI-Maoist in the Thethainagar area for the past three to four years, Police said.

January 11

Devki Nandan Gautam, a former DGP of Bihar, is appointed the security advisor to the Jharkhand Government. Gautam will advise the State Government on strategy to tackle Maoist menace and matters of general law and order.

January 12

Six suspected CPI-Maoist cadres were arrested in Gumla District. The arrestees were involved in the killing of nine persons, including four women and three children, in Taisera and Mahua Brindatoli villages of the District on January 6, Police said. The killings, according to Police sources, were the direct outcome of the murder of Bhushan Lakra's brother-in-law in 2010. Lakra is the ‘zonal commander’ of PLFI, a breakaway faction of the CPI-Maoist.

The Communist CPI-Maoist cadres killed a person identified as Bhusan Marandi in Jhakia village in Bokaro District. The Maoists slit the throat of Marandi after branding him as a Police informer and claimed that Bhusan had reportedly tipped off the Police about the Maoists movements, the sources added.

The State Government approved 73 posts for the proposed four jungle warfare schools that will provide training to Security officials to combat the Maoists in the State. Two schools have been proposed in Latehar while one each in Jamshedpur and Hazaribagh respectively.

January 14

Two cadres of the CPI-Maoist were arrested from Jamunia village under Navadih Police Station of Bokaro District. INR 475, 000 cash was found at their home, Police said. They are yet to be identified by the Police.

Two more Maoists were arrested from Chakulia of East Singhbhum District. The Police seized 150 gelatine sticks, 100 detonators, 23 metres of fuse wire from them.

Police also recovered three landmines planted on the roadside at Chakulia.

The State Police in the year 2010 had arrested 569 hardcore Maoists including 47 Maoists above the rank of area commanders across the State.

January 15

The cadres of the CPI-Maoist attacked road construction workers in Lohardaga District. Ram Gulab Sharma, SDPO, said that the Maoists were trying to extort money from the factory and in that process set ablaze the bulldozer kept outside. "They asked for kerosene oil and I gave them. They were around 18-20 of them," said Pancho Devi, one of the eye witnesses.

The Jharkhand Police has adopted the latest technology of 3D mapping to take on the Maoists in the State. "The 3D mapping is helping us in getting familiar with the terrain, forests, hills and other places. It helps the Security Forces involved in anti-Maoist operations," SP of anti-Maoist operation Apoorva said.

Police working in the Maoist-hit areas have been asked to sharpen their personal observation instinct rather relying completely on the modern sophisticated gadgets to detect and uproot landmines as part of its renewed exercise to flush out the LWE from the State. "Yes, we want the officers (engaged in the anti-Maoist operations) to specialize on the personal observation front as far as detecting landmines is concerned," said DGP Neyaz Ahmed.

A dawn-to-dusk bandh called by Maoists to protest price rise and corruption went peaceful in Gumla, Simdega, Lohardaga, Palamu, Latehar and Chatra Districts.

Two people were shot dead by cadres of the CPI-Maoist in a janta durbar held in Latehar District. According to Police, cadres of the TPC, a break away faction of the CPI-Maoist, forcibly picked up Hawaldar Singh and Awadesh Singh from their homes and were produced on the same night in the 'court', where they were held guilty of extorting money in the name of the outfit. Their bodies were later found in Banduwa village of the District.

Kishore Singh, a newly elected member of Taal Panchayat, was abducted by Maoists from his house in Panki Police Station limits in Palamu District. "His whereabouts are still untraced," SP A T Mathew said.

Two cadres of the PLFI, a break away faction of the CPI-Maoist were arrested from an area close to Palkot road in Gumla District. Police seized a pistol, live cartridges and other incriminating materials from the cadres.

Three top Maoists, identified as Dhirendra, Sandeep and Nirbhay, involved in killing more than three dozen SF personnel, escaped from a jail by breaking the ceiling of their cell in West Singhbhum District, an unnamed official of Chaibasa jail said. Sandeep and Dhirenra were allegedly involved in two incidents of ambush in Saranda forest in 2002 and 2003 where more than 40 SF personnel were killed.

Two supporters of a LWE, identified as Hiralal Singh and Avdesh Singh, were killed by the cadres of the CPI-Maoist in Manika block in Latehar District. Both were residents of Kerwajharan and Bankheta villages. "The deceased were branded as supporters of another Naxalite outfit and killed by the Maoists," SP Kuldip Dwivedi said.

The Gumla District Police identified the two arrested cadres of the PLFI, a break away faction of the CPI-Maoist, as Chandar Lohra, an 'area commander' and Sitaram Baraik, an active member of the outfit.

A Maoist cadre, involved in blowing up a community centre at Palamu village in Nawadih block in 2009, was arrested in a raid in Bokaro District. Bokaro SP Saket Singh said Budhan Mahato was arrested when he reached near Sarubeda village in Nawadih where a Police patrol was checking vehicles on the road. Mahato was wanted in many cases lodged in different Police Stations of the District.

Under trial CPI-Maoist leaders were found to be in possession of cash and mobile phones in Gumla jail. In a surprise check, the Police found about INR 1, 200 from one identified as Joseph Ekka, a self-styled 'sub-zonal commander' and INR 1, 020 from another identified as Babi Munda, a self-styled 'area commander' of the Maoists, SDPO Madhusudhan said.

The Police recovered 13 mobile phones, 17 phone chargers, a knife and other incriminating materials from the jail in Garhwa District during surprise raids, said an unnamed Police official.

Five top ranking CPI-Maoist cadres, including a 'sub-zonal commander' of the outfit, were arrested from Diwan Bigha village in Palamu District.

Additional SFs have been deployed to guard a jail in Hazaribagh District, where many top Maoist leaders are lodged, official sources said. The step was taken as a large number of top Maoists leaders from Bihar, Jharkhand, Andhra Pradesh and Chhattisgarh are kept in the Jai Prakash Narayan Central jail of the District.

Jharkhand Police arrested a top ranking Maoist leader, identified as Niranjan Oraon alias Neeraj, 'area commander' and 'sub-zonal member' of the outfit from Budhapahar in Simdega District.

Four 'zonal commanders' of the CPI-Maoist, were arrested from Porahat forest in West Singhbhum District of Jharkhand. Marshal Bhuiyan was wanted for the killing of the SFs personnel in Goilkera Police Station area and a villager identified as Rasika Bhuiyan, in 2008.

January 23

Four villagers were abducted by the cadres of the CPI-Maoist from Khiritand village under Rajpur Police Station in Chatra District.

Police arrested a Maoist, identified as Sanju Ganju, in a raid at his house at Purnapani village, near Jhumra Hills under Mahuataad Police Station in Bokaro District.

The newly appointed Security Advisor to Chief Minister Arjun Munda, former Bihar DGP DN Gautam, speaking in a programme of the State Bar Council said that Naxalism (LWE) is a water tight problem and it will be dealt with in a broader perspective.

January 24

Two cadres of the PLFI, a breakaway faction of the CPI-Maoist, were arrested from Bhonda village of Khunti District while a ‘commander’ identified as Pawan Gope, of the outfit was arrested from Tupudana situated on outskirts of Ranchi District.

January 25

A Maoist, identified as Michael Kharia, was arrested from the Mokra forest in Gumla District. Getting a tip-off that Kharia was in the forest, a Police team surrounded the area and arrested him.

January 26

Cadres of the CPI-Maoist blew up a middle school at Chadara village in Palamau District. About 50 to 60 cadres reached the village in the early hours of the day and blew up the school using dynamite. No one was in the school when the explosion took place, SP Anup T. Mathew said.

In Latehar, Maoists hoisted a black flag on the terrace of a school and stuck a poster with anti-government slogans and threats. The school children did not hoist the national flag following the Maoist threat. Teachers also said that they did not want to take the risk by hoisting the national flag.

Jharkhand Governor M.O.H. Farook said on Republic Day that the State Government has launched a multi-pronged strategy to combat LWE. "The Jharkhand Government has a multi-pronged strategy comprising security measures, developmental action, political initiatives and perception management to tackle the menace." He appealed to the Maoists to shun the path of violence, join the mainstream and contribute to the State's development.

January 27

A 40 kilograms cylinder bomb, four landmines and other explosives were recovered by the SFs in Chatra District. The bomb was planted on the roadside to target vehicles of the SFs, while the landmines, 90 meter wire, and four detonators were found during an anti-Maoist operation of the State Police and CRPF in Kothari forest under Lawalong Police Station.

January 28

Nine cadres of the CPI-Maoist were killed in an encounter with SFs at Luhur forest in Latehar District.

SPs of Latehar, Garhwa and Palamu Districts are recruiting troopers, A T Mathew, SP Palamu, member of the recruitment board said. The recruitment drive will continue up to the end of March. About 850 troopers are to be recruited during the drive. Palamu DIG Laxman Prasad Singh has directed the SPs to maintain a high level of transparency in the recruitment.

The CPI-Maoist is also recruiting rural youths in the remote areas of Palamu District where the Maoists are only testing the physical prowess of the youth. A Maoists supporter in Chainpur block of the District said the recruitment of the Maoists is slow this year because of the drought.

January 30

Suman alias Triveni (33) an ‘area commander’ of the CPI-Maoist was arrested from Daltanganj railway station of Palamau District. Three carbines, one automatic pistol, one revolver and 21 cartridges were recovered from him, the Police said.

Acting on a tip-off that nine Maoist cadres were taking shelter at a house in Lengwa village under Hunterganj Police Station limits in Chatra District, the CRPF and the District Police Force (DPF) personnel launched search operations and arrested one cadre, identified as Ravindra Yadav.

The around 10 to 15 cadres of the PLFI, earlier known as the JLT and a breakaway faction of the CPI-Maoist, abducted three youths identified as Alok Sahu, Mahabali Sahu and Bhola Sahu and subsequently killed them by slitting their throats in Hulsu village on the outskirts of Ranchi District.

The Maoists killed a quarry owner, identified as Baburam Kisku, in Chitragadia village in Dumka District. SP Hemant Toppo said more than 15 cadres attacked Kisku's house and shot him dead. Kisku's sister-in-law was also injured in the firing, Toppo added. They also set ablaze two vehicles, a jeep and an earth digging machine, parked near his house.

January 31

The Maoists blew up a water tank, a pump and a generator meant to supply water to the CRPF paratroopers at Jhumra hill in Bokaro District.

The cadres of the PLFI set ablaze a bus in Gumla District. The bus coming from Ambikapur of Chhattisgarh and on way to Ranchi was stopped by the cadres near Khatkor village, the passengers were asked to disembark, and the bus was later set ablaze by the PLFI cadres, Police said.

The PLFI had called for a bandh in five Districts of the State.

February 2

The SFs recovered three landmines during a combing operation at Purnapani village in Bokaro District. Each landmine weighed 50-kilograms and was planted by the CPI-Maoist cadres with an aim to target the Police during anti-naxal LWE operation, SP, S K Singh, said.

February 3

The cadres of the CPI-Maoist killed a contractor by slitting his throat in Chatra District. The victim, identified as Asraf Mian, was abducted from his house in Giddhor area and his dead body was found from Mahuatand area. The Maoists left a pamphlet terming the contractor as "pimp" of the Government, a Police Official said.

The Jharkhand Police arrested a CPI-Maoist cadre suspected to be involved in the blowing up of a school on January 26 was arrested from Chacharia village in Palamau District. Getting a tip-off that the Maoist, Ram Bali Mehra, was hiding at a place in the village under Bishrampur Police Station, a Police team raided the place and arrested him, the DSP Girish Pandey, said in Medininagar. A loaded pistol was recovered from him, the DSP said.

February 6

Ranchi Police arrested four cadres of the PLFI, including 'sub-zonal commander' Manna Yadav from Aara jungles of Chanho block in Ranchi District. PLFI is a breakaway faction of the CPI-Maoist. The Police recovered one locally-made rifle, pistol, five bullets and four mobile handsets from the arrested extremists. The three other arrested extremists are Jamuna Yadav aka Chotu, Sunil Thakur and Sideshwar Mishra aka Sidhi Pandit.

Police recovered two half-made landmines following a raid at Jhumra Hill under Gomia Block in Bokaro District. This is for the first time when the Police recovered fire extinguishers, which Maoists use in making landmines by filling explosives inside it.

Police seized 55 bags of ammonium nitrate, used in making IED, from a transport company at Jalan Road of Upper Bazaar and a mining firm at Chutupalu in Ramgarh District. Police suspect the substance is used by Maoists.

February 7

Cadres of the CPI-Maoist blew up railway tracks at two different places in Jharkhand, as they began a day-long strike in three States (Jharkhand, Bihar and Orissa) to protest price rise and corruption.

February 8

A forest guard, his driver and three other persons were abducted by the CPI-Maoist cadres from Dodia village of Hazaribagh District. About 20 Maoists went to the village and abducted forest guard Sheo Bachan Lal, his driver and three others for refusing to pay extortion for launching a road work under the MGNREGA project. The Maoists took them towards Gaya in Bihar but later they released them, Superintendent of Police Pankaj Kamboj said.

Suspected CPI-Maoist cadres abducted two contractors, Bisawajit Bhattacharya and Rajkumar, from Chandawa Police Station area in Latehar District. "It seems that Maoists might have abducted them. We are still investigating the case. The role of criminals cannot be ruled out," a Police officer said.

February 10

Three LWE of Jharkhand Sangharsh Janmukti Morcha (JSJM), a splinter group of CPI-Maoist were arrested from Mandru village under Oremanjhi Police Station in Ranchi District. The arrestees were, identified as Naresh Mahato, Naresh Karmali and Basant Karmali. The Police also recovered two country made rifles, two country made pistols and 10 live bullets from their possession. All the three hail from Basal village under Ramgarh Police Station and had demanded extortion money from a contractor engaged in building of ring road near Pithoria and a firm MG Construction. Police also recovered some Maoist literature and hand written pamphlets of extortion and threats to contractors. On the basis of recent extortion threats given by the outfits to the contractors and firms engaged in road construction, Police tracked down the extremists.

February 11

Three persons, including a woman, were killed in an explosion at Manatu in Palamu District. "The explosion took place at Sarguja village when the victims were producing landmine and can-bombs in the house of Birju Turi, an alleged sympathiser of the CPI-Maoist," DSP Surdarshan Mandal said. The three persons, including Birju's wife, were killed on the spot, he said, adding that the identity of the two victims was yet to be established. He said the roof and walls of the house were blown up by the impact of the blast.

February 12

Odisha Police arrested three cadres of the CPI-Maoist during a combing operation by the SOG troopers from Jareikela area in Jharkhand. The arrestees are identified as Aditya, Ajaya and Fingraj. The Police recovered explosives of huge quantity and Maoists leaflets from them.

Suspected cadres of the CPI-Maoist abducted four members of a family from Garhwa District late. According to Police sources, about 50 to 60 Maoists, who came on a bus, raided Cheharia village in Bhawnathpur block in the District and attacked Makhan Yadav's house and abducted the four of the family, leaving the female members.

February 13

CPI-Maoists cadres abducted a station master from the Kechki station in Palamau District. More than 150 armed Maoists attacked the station and abducted the station master and a porter. While the porter has been released there has been no information on the abducted official as yet. The porter claims that the Maoists demanded for ransom for releasing the station master.

A joint team of CRPF, Jharkhand Armed Force (JAP) and District Police busted a Maoist camp in a forest near Baltharwa on Jhumra Hill in Gomia in Bokaro District and recovered an IED and other explosive materials. They also destroyed a firing range set up by the Maoists at the spot.

February 18

The SAP of Jharkhand organised a special camp in Latehar District to train cadets of the JAP to combat CPI-Maoist in the State.

February 25

The cadres of the CPI-Maoist set ablaze two tractors of brick kiln near Masihatu in Balumath of Latehar District. Nearly 30 armed Maoists stopped the two tractors loaded with bricks on way to an industrial project coming up at Chandawa. Maoists asked the drivers of the tractors to alight from the vehicles, poured fuel on both the tractors and set them on fire. After the incident, Maoists disappeared into the forests. Latehar SP Kuldeep Dwivedi said prima facie it appeared that the Maoists set the vehicles on fire for want of levy, but Police are investigating the case.

February 26

A ‘sub-zonal commander’ of the PLFI, a breakaway faction of the CPI-Maoist, identified as Guddu Oraon alias Karam Chand Oraon, was killed in an encounter with SFs in Gumla District. The encounter took place when Oraon and his accomplices opened fire on a patrolling party of SFs’ in Keredih forest, Singh said, adding he was killed in the exchange of fire while his associates managed to escape.

Oraon was carrying a reward of INR 200, 000 on his head in Jharkhand, while Chhattisgarh had announced a reward of INR 10,000 for catching him in connection with 24 cases of Maoist violence, Gumla SP N. K. Singh said. Oraon was active on the borders of Chhattisgarh, Odisha and Jharkhand.

February 27

Security Forces in Nawadih introduced Community-Policing programme to tackle the Maoists in the region. Locals were given food and clothing as incentives, as part of the programme. Anoop T. Mathew, SP of Palamu, said that such programmes help bridge gaps between the Police and locals, and also protects them from recruiting by the Maoists.

February 28

Three Policemen, including an Assistant Sub Inspector, a Head Constable and a Home Guard, were killed and four others injured in a landmine blast triggered by the CPI-Maoist cadres in Chatra District. The explosion occurred when a jeep carrying seven Policemen, who were returning after a search operation, drove over the landmine at Lakrai More in Tandua area. The Maoists also seized the weapons from the Policemen before escaping.

March 2

Suspected CPI-Maoist cadres abducted and killed Neyamat Ansari (40), a functionary attached to a local organisation campaigning for the right of labourers, working under the MNREGS, at Jerua village in Latehar District. Ansari was a close associate of eminent economist Jean Dreze, a member of the National Advisory Council, and was also instrumental in bringing the Lok Adalat on the MGNREGS to Latehar in 2009. The victim’s sister has lodged a complaint with the local Police Station accusing a Maoist squad of having a hand in this. However, DGP G S Rath said, "Ansari had a tainted past, and reportedly Maoist links." He added that the killers were yet to be identified and "we are probing."

Men and women of Khunti and adjoining Districts came for various physical tests, like racing, long jump and high jump, as part of the Police recruitment process. Police officers at the recruitment camp said they had expected a good number of applicants, but were surprised by the number of women who also appeared for the test.

March 5

One person was seriously injured when suspected cadres of the CPI-Maoist fired at a bus carrying members of a marriage party in Palamu District. "One Shiv Ratan suffered bullet wounds when rebels fired at the bus on Chatra-Tandua road last night," DIG (Palamu Range) L P Singh, said. The wedding guests were going to Panki in the District from Tandua in Chatra District.

Palamu SP, Anoop T Mathew has claimed to have recovered a looted Police rifle of .303 bore and Maoist literature following a 40-minute joint Police and the CRPF and the Maoist encounter at Jitamatee on the border of Pandu and Hussainabad in Palamu District. However, there was no casualty, said Mathew, although the Police fired 40 rounds. About 30 Maoists, including women, led by ‘sub-zonal commander’ Govind were at Jitamatee when the encounter took place. The Security Force was led by additional SP Ronald.

The 133 Battalion of CRPF under its civic action programme has lit up Maoist-affected Sarjamdih village with 18 solar lights under Bundu Police Station of Ranchi District. "Villagers often complained that they have no lights and they, especially women, face problems at night," said Deputy Commandant Pawan Kumar Singh of the 133 Battalion. Further, two doctors of CRPF organized a health check-up camp at the village and treated around 100 villagers from Sarjamdih, Barahatu and Barigadha and other adjoining villages, added Singh.

March 7

The Jharkhand Government proposes to set up a new force called SISF to provide security to industry and banks in the CPI-Maoist-infested areas, in the State Budget presented in the Assembly by Deputy Chief Minister Hemant Soren. The battalion of SISF, comprising ex-servicemen, planned to be raised will be recruited and their training will be completed by the end of fiscal year 2011-12. To deal with the Maoists, the Budget proposes to open 92 Police Stations and strengthen the Special Branch of the Police by setting up Cyber Security and Surveillance System and Intelligence Training School for its staff. Soren, presented a deficit budget of INR 38.6577 billion, said 18,000 Police posts were vacant. Of these, 11,000 posts of constables and 850 posts of Sub-Inspectors would be filled up in the coming financial year. "In order to overcome the problem of the Naxalites [Left Wing Extremism], the administrative officers were sensitized. The effort was also being made to help improve institutional system," Soren added.

March 8

The Police have recovered 50 bags of ammonium nitrate along with a vehicle at Demotand under Hazaribagh Sadar Police Station in Hazaribagh District. Binod Kumar Singh, the officer-in-charge of Hazaribagh Sadar Police Station, said that acting on a tip-off that huge quantity of explosives was dispatched by one Mukesh Modi, the Police tried to stop the vehicle for checking. But the driver broke the Police barrier and sped away with the vehicle. "We chased the vehicle and ultimately succeeded in overpowering the driver at Demotand, about 10 kilometres away from Hazaribagh town," Singh said. On interrogation, driver Md Irfan told the Police that they were asked to hand over the explosives to a person in Gumla.

March 10

A CPI-Maoist cadre, identified as Ganesh Ganju, involved in over 13 crimes was arrested from Paras forested area at Bundu in Ranchi District. The Police recovered 320 explosive boosters, 12 gelatine bombs and other explosives from his possession.

The Police arrested two women who went to meet CPI-Maoist leader Ajay Purti in Chaibasa jail in West Singhbhum District. One of the women arrestees was identified as Binodi Surin while the other is yet to be identified. Surin was carrying INR 8, 000 when arrested near the jail.

A top ranking CPI-Maoist cadre identified as Sukra Oraon alias Jogeshwar Oraon, son of Gondura Ganjhu of Pali village under Senha Police Station, was arrested from Ita-Barhi village under Bhandra block in the District. Oraon is a top cadre in zonal ‘commander’ Ravindhra Ganjhu's group. Several CPI-Maoist posters were seized from his possession," SP Minz said.

March 11

A combined team of local quick response team, CRPF and Bundu's SOG led by SP Aseem Vikrant Minz neutralised a CPI-Maoist bunker at Putrar village near Bhudu-Pahad under Peshrar Police picket in Lohardaga District. The team also recovered 18 bundles of highly explosive codex wire (around 7000m) hidden in a in a 500-litre overhead tank in the bunker during the ‘Operation Basant', as christened by the Police. The SP said the Police are investigating the possibilities of more hidden stocks of arms and ammunition of the Maoists. "The codex (V cord 10 gram detonating fuse) is made of Andhra Explosive Company in Andhra Pradesh and the manufacturing date mentioned is August 2010. The Police will find out how it reached to Maoists," said the SP.

March 12

A school student was killed during an encounter between the CPI-Maoist cadres and the cadres of the TPC, a breakaway faction of the CPI-Maoist at Bara village in Palamu District. A group of Maoists, on getting information that a TPC squad had taken shelter in the village, attacked them. During the encounter a stray bullet hit Ajay Yadav (9), a class IV student, who was standing at the doorsteps of his house and he died on the spot, DIG Laxman Prasad Singh, said. A rifle was also recovered from the spot, Singh added.

Jharkhand DGP Gauri Shanker Rath expressed concern over poor utilization of Paramilitary Forces in East Singhbhum, West Singhbhum and Ranchi Districts. He was reviewing the law and order in the State after assuming his office early this month.

March 14

Two CRPF troopers were injured in an encounter between SF personnel and the CPI-Maoist cadres at Jorabeda forest under Arki Police Station area in Khunti District. Around 6.45am, the CPI-Maoist led by Kundan Pahan of ‘Platoon 39’ saw the SFs trekking the hills and opened fired at the troopers. After nearly two hours of encounter, the CPI-Maoist escaped into the forests towards nearby Mosanga village. The SFs led by Ranchi (ASP, operation) Apoorva neutralised the Maoist camp on top of the Jorabeda hill and recovered a 15kg cylinder bomb, Maoists literature and other logistics.

March 15

Five CPI-Maoist cadres were killed in a gunfight with SFs in Khunti District. "Five guerrillas have been killed in a gun battle. Our men saw that Maoists took away the dead bodies of their comrades," a Police Officer said.

The Maoists set ablaze ten vehicles, including three trucks and one bus in Chauparan in Hazaribagh District. The Maoists fired at a truck and injured its driver.

The Police recovered one landmine and two detonators near Hutar colliery of Latehar District.

March 16

Police arrested an arms supplier Kaju alias Ajaj Quraisi son of the late Jamal Quraisi of Rahat Nagar with a country-made semi-automatic carbine in his possession at Kisko More area in Lohardaga District. The arrested arms supplier, a wanted criminal, used to supply arms to the Maoists and criminals for the last several years.

March 17

Cadres of the PLFI, a breakaway faction of the CPI-Maoist, set ablaze a passenger bus at Taal under Panki Police Station in Palamu District. Confirming the incident, SP Anoop T Mathew said the passenger bus was coming from Ranchi to Daltonganj. The incident occurred on Balumath-Panki route. The passengers were asked to get down. PLFI cadres took out the diesel container from the bus and set it ablaze. Police suspected that it was the handiwork of Dwarika, ‘commander’ of the PLFI.

March 18

The CPI-Maoist cadres blew up a water pump in Mogahataburu village in West Singhbhum District. According to the Police, the Maoists blasted the water pump, to protest the ongoing operation against them in Saranda forest. The Jharkhand Police have launched an operation against the Maoists in Saranda forest, where some six companies of Paramilitary Forces are assisting the State Police.

Announcing to set up 18 more STF units and one more IRB to take on the Maoists, Jharkhand Government informed the Assembly that the Police had started dominating various extremists groups, reports PTI. "These STFs will be set up in 2011/12 while the IRB this year. In the beginning it was said that extremists had been dominating the Police but now the Police have been dominating the CPI-Maoists and other Left Wing Extremist (LWE) outfits," State HRD Minister Baijnath Ram said in reply to the Home Departments budgetary demand for grant. Jharkhand has already 22 STF and five IRBs, he added.

Informing the house that in all 547 extremists had been killed and 4,084 Maoists were arrested since the States creation on November 15, 2000, Ram said Maoist presence was felt in hitherto untouched Santhal Pargana region where six Districts are located. Stating that 18 of the 24 Districts were affected by LWEs, Ram said SFs personnel were doubled in 118 Police Stations in LWE-hit areas. To reduce dependence on central forces, he added, the State had created 14 additional companies of Jharkhand Armed Police.

March 24

The CPI-Maoist cadres killed two engineers in Latehar District. The engineers, identified as Jitendra Kumar Singh and Mukesh Yadav of Calcutta-based Simplex Infrastructures, were abducted by Maoists while they were returning after inspecting civil work at an upcoming 540MW thermal power plant being set up by Abhijeet Group at Chandwa on March 17.

Rajesh Prasad Shaw (24), a Police constable was killed and two others were injured in a landmine blast triggered by the Maoists who were targeting Ghatshila ASP Anish Kumar Gupta in Ghatshila in East Singhbhum District. The incident occurred when a joint team of District Police and CRPF, comprising 300 troopers, was on its way to Dainmari and Makuli bordering Belpahari Police Station in West Bengal, to conduct long-range patrolling after receiving information that the Maoists Dampara squad was holed up in the forests. The men were negotiating a turn when the landmine exploded around 7.30am. Shaw died on the spot. Two CRPF troopers- Ganesh Gaur and Vinod Kumar were also injured.

March 26

A top ranking CPI-Maoist cadre wanted in a dozen cases was arrested from the Sonahatu Police Station area in Ranchi District along with 25 kilograms of explosive gel. A team of Ranchi Police raided Kala Mahdeo village, and arrested Surendra Swansi. The Maoist cadre was to transport the explosive gel to the cadres in Bundu-Tamar when Police raided the village. "The explosive was earlier hidden underground. It was recently dug out for giving to the Maoist squad active in the area," said SSP Praveen Kumar Singh. Recently, Swansi had gone into hiding in the Chowka area of Saraikela-Kharsawan District but had come to deliver the explosive gel to Sonahatu where he was arrested. "This is a major breakthrough for Police as Swansi was wanted in a number of cases and was a hardcore Maoist," said Singh.

March 27

Maoist Hari Pad Mahto surrendered before the Police in Ranchi District. Mahto was active during the formative years of Naxalism [LWE] in Ranchi and its surrounding areas and had left the outfit for the past two years. He had worked extensively to spread Naxalism in the Bundu, Tamar and Arki areas since 2003-04. He was wanted in over a dozen of cases of murder, extortion, abduction, arson and Police encounters. "He had joined the Maoist ranks before the notorious rebel commander Kundan Pahan and had several warrant of arrests pending against him," said SSP. "He is a resident of Bucha Dih village in Tamar and his surrender has been implemented under the surrender and rehabilitation policy of the State."

March 29

The cadres of the CPI-Maoist killed a labourer when he refused to pay extortion money at Dungri village in Palamu District. Raj Dev Turi (42) was dragged out from his house by a dozen of Maoist cadres and shot him dead last night after he refused to pay them 'levy' (extortion), DSP, Sudarshan Mandal, said.

March 31

A CPI-Maoist cadre wanted for the killing of three Policemen was arrested in Giridih District. Following a tip-off, Jawar Murmur alias Talo'da was arrested from Kuar More of the District, SP A. B. Homker said. Murmur was wanted in connection with the killing of Jama Police Station in-Charge Sadanand Singh and two other Policemen during an encounter in Dumka District in 2010 and another gun-battle at Ramgarh in the same District in 2008, he said. Murmur confessed during interrogation that he was heading the Maoist ‘firing squad’ in the encounters and that the Maoists had asked him to expand its network in Jharkhand's Santhal Pargana and border.

April 1

Suspected cadres of the PLFI, a breakaway faction of the CPI-Maoist set ablaze two excavators and a motorcycle of a construction company constructing a bridge over the Koel river at Jologhat, causing a loss of about INR 10 million to the builder in Gumla District. Basia Police Station OIC Shivchandra Prasad Singh said some 10-12 cadres of the PLFI reached the construction site and assaulted cashier Dilu Lohra, masons and labourers Kartik, Chhotu and others. They then took out diesel stored to run machines and set ablaze the excavators and the motorcycle parked there. The cadres then looted four mobile sets from Lohra and others, OIC Shivchandra Prasad Singh added.

April 4

Three bags carrying 5,000 detonators were recovered by the Police from Jamtara District. According to the Police, three youths were spotted carrying the bags at Jamtara railway station, some 450 kilometres from Ranchi. Suspecting something amiss, the Police personnel approached the youths, but they fled, leaving their bags behind. The three had deboarded the Patliputra Express train. "It appears the explosives were meant to be supplied to CPI-Maoist. Off late, Jamtara has emerged as a hub for the Maoists," a Police Officer said.

The Police has clarified that the two engineers identified as Jitendra Kumar Singh and Mukesh Yadav killed in Latehar District on March 24 was the handiwork of the workers at the Abhijeet Group power plant site in the State and not of the Maoists. "The case has been solved and it is apparent that it was the conspiracy of some workers at the Abhijeet Group site itself. The gang has been arrested and the role of Maoists has been ruled out," said Latehar SP, Kuldeep Dehvli. "It seems that the miscreants wanted to extract ransom from their families," he said. Dehvli said that the Maoists took advantage of the entire incident and ambushed the Police party sent to rescue the victims.

April 6

Manoj Ojha (40), General Manager (GM) of Reliance Power, was killed and seven other company officials were injured in an attack by the cadres of the TPC, a break away faction of the CPI-Maoist, near Hesatu village in Chatra District, around 100 kilometres from Ranchi. The team from the Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group Company had arrived at Sidppa village in Tandwa tehsil in the District, at 10am to survey land for a project, the Police said.

April 7

The cadres of the CPI-Maoist set ablaze a porcelain machine and five water pumps and looted two mobile sets from workers at a bridge construction site near Mariumtoli under Raidih Police Station in Gumla District. The Maoists left a pamphlet at the site forbidding use of machines and construction of big projects while suggesting initiation of irrigation projects and wage hike for labourers. "Over 25 armed cadres of (CPI-Maoist) reached the site of a big bridge construction across Sankh River and set a porcelain machine and five water pumps on fire," said Officer-in-Charge of Raidih Police Station Digvijay Singh.

April 8

A teacher and four villagers were suspected to have been abducted by CPI-Maoist cadres at Dalia village in Medininagar in Palamu District. "We suspect abduction of a teacher, Ismail Ansari and four other villagers by Maoists last night though their family members have not informed the Police yet", SP, Anup T Mathew, said. Ansari is a teacher of Chhatarpur Middle School at Dalia.

April 9

A top cadre of the CPI-Maoist identified as Mangal Singh Munda (28) was arrested from Humta village under Bundu Police Station in Ranchi District. Mangal, a resident of Edeldih village under Tamar Police Station had been to jail in 2006, for killing his wife and after coming out he joined the Maoists. The Police also recovered two loaded magazines of the gun, a carbine and 18 bullets from his possession. He was arrested from the residence of Madhu Munda, another top Maoist who managed to escape taking advantage of darkness. "They are not senior-rank Maoists but recently three-four former Maoists have united to form a group to extort levy from contractors," said SSP Praveen Kumar Singh.

The Police arrested a self-styled 'area commander' of the CPI-Maoist near Thariamahua Bridge in Giridih District. The 'area commander' identified as Shiva Turi was operating at Dhanbad's Tundi area, was arrested during joint raids by Dhanbad and Giridih Police and his arrest would provide vital information on the rebel outfit, Superintendent of Police A V Homker said. "Turi was involved in the Maoist attack on Maniadih Police picket in which a Policeman was killed in 2009, besides the murder of a chowkidar in 2008 and blowing up of two school buildings during Maoist-called shut-downs," he said. Turi was a resident of Kudko village in the District.

Two villagers were killed by the cadres of the CPI-Maoist at a Kangaroo Court in Latehar District. The bodies of Harbar Singh and Chetu Singh were recovered at Baresand village, DSP Ashwini Sinha said. The Maoists claimed responsibility of their killing through a note left near the bodies. They accused the duo on charges of collecting levy in the name of the Maoists, the DSP said. Quoting villagers, Sinha said Harbar Singh and Chetu Singh were taken away from their homes by the Maoists on April 10.

A Police team recovered three can bombs each weighing over 20 kilograms from the Bendi forest near the Hazaribagh-Chatra Road in Hazaribagh District. The Maoists planted the bombs with an aim to target the Police who were deployed to maintain law and order during Ramnavami processions, scheduled to be taken out in the evening. The personnel of bomb disposal squad defused the bombs and the Police Stations of Keredari, Barkagaon, Kadkumsandi and adjoining Chatra District's Simaria and Tandwa were alerted and patrolling were stepped up.

Union Junior Home Minister Gurudas Kamat is scheduled to visit the State. According to sources, he will visit CRPF camp and will meet Governor M O H Farook and Chief Minister Arjun Munda to discuss the steps taken by the Government to tackle law and order problem, Maoist problem and inter-State relationship.

Two former cadres of the CPI-Maoist were shot dead by the Maoist cadres at Atikheta village in Latehar District. The bullet-riddled bodies of Nirmal Singh and Birendra Singh Kharwar were recovered during the day with the Maoists claiming responsibility, SP Kuldip Diwedi said. The Maoists' note accused the duo of rape and robbery after quitting their ranks to float JJP, a CPI-Maoist splinter group. Singh and Kharwar had been in the Maoists' firing squad till 2008, the Police said.

The Maoists killed Jaleshwar Prajapati (38), a councillor of ward VI of Tilaiya panchayat under Mahuataad Police Station in Bokaro District. Prajapati was abducted at around 10 pm in the night of April 12 by a gang of around 48 Maoists and later, sentenced to death in a kangaroo court. ASP Bermo Tamil Banan confirmed the killing, but refused to comment on speculation that the body hadn't been removed till late evening as the Police feared Maoists might have planted explosives near it. A pamphlet left by the Maoists near the body warned that "Supporters of Police will meet this fate".

Union Minister of State for Home Affairs, Gurudas Kamat, praised CRPF troopers fighting the Maoists in Jharkhand and assured that the Centre would look into their requirements. "The nation salutes CRPF jawans (troopers) who are fighting Naxalites (LWE) in the forests. The Government will address their problems and requirements," Kamat said while meeting the CRPF personnel at the Zilla School ground in Chaibasa in West Singhbhum District to mark a function of the 197th battalion of the CRPF. Condemning the killing of two villagers by the Maoists in Latehar on April 12, Kamat asked what the Maoists want to prove by indulging in violence. To a query whether the Union Government would sanction setting up of more camps in the dense Saranda forest in West Singhbhum, Kamat said the Government would consider it after recruitment of more personnel in the CRPF. On another query as to when the night service of the railways would start, Kamat said he would speak to the railway ministry, adding if Jharkhand provided security trains, services could restart in the areas bordering Jharkhand and West Bengal. Train services were cancelled after the Gyaneshwari Express mishap in 2010.

Five LWE cadres were arrested from different parts of Ranchi District. Three cadres of the PLFI, a break away faction of the CPI-Maoist were arrested from Bajra Bridge, about 15 kilometres from the District Headquarters in Itki, while two Maoist cadres identified as Basudev Hazam and Istomani alias Basanti, were arrested from near Rocky Cinema in the Bundu Police Station area in the District. The three PLFI cadres are identified as Raj Kamal Gope (30), Manjula Kumari (20) and Shahnawaz (21). Raj Kamal Gope is the 'zonal commander' of the PLFI, while Manjula and Shahnawaz were his trusted lieutenants. "Gope is wanted in more than 20 cases of murder and extortion," SSP Praveen Kumar Singh said. According to the Police, Basudev and Basanti were actively associated with Maoist 'zonal commander' Kundan Pahan, known as the Veerapan of Jharkhand. "The Maoist duo was associated with the Kundan Pahan squad for a year and a half. But when the rebels sexually exploited the girl, both decided to stay away. To protect themselves from the wrath of Maoists, they preferred working as suppliers," SSP Singh said. "I joined the organisation three months ago, but had remained in the squad for only six days. During my very brief association, Budhwa Pahan, an aide of Kundan Pahan, raped me four times," Basanti said. "One foreign made pistol, 40 gelatine sticks, more than 50 live cartridges and one vehicle has been recovered," SSP Singh added.

The Jharkhand Government must improve law and order conditions as the coal production in the State, which has the largest coal reserves in India, has been hit by the Maoist problem, Union Coal Minister Prakash Jaiswal said. "Coal production has been hit by the Maoist problem in the State. Law and order in Jharkhand is not satisfactory and the State Government should do the needful to improve it," Jaiswal told reporters in Ranchi.

Intelligence sources said Maoists prefer to recruit criminals who are wanted in several criminal cases. "There is advantage to both: criminals get protection and can earn money, while Maoists get a criminal who in fear of Police action dedicatedly engage in rebel activities," said the intelligence official. SSP Singh said due to intensive Police pressure, several top Maoists have either surrendered or are being killed and thus criminal options have become most suitable for the Maoists. "The cadre recruitment drives of rebels, have recently suffered a huge setback due to Police pressure and presence of security men in Naxalite-affected areas. Thus they are looking for criminals," said Singh. He added there are cases when Maoists themselves call on the criminals who have been evading arrests and ask them to join their ranks and in many cases criminals themselves contact the Maoists. According to intelligence inputs, the South Chhotanagpur zonal committee, which has 'zonal commander' Kundan Pahan, having lost his cadres in Police encounter has surrendered to Police and is now looking for criminals, who could consolidate his eroding base in Bundu, Tamar and Arki areas and strengthen his squad.

The Jharkhand Government is facing serious trust deficit with investors since the killing of a Reliance executive on April 6 by the cadres of the TPC, a break away faction of the CPI-Maoist. While Chief Minister Arjun Munda is busy trying to bring investment to the mineral-rich State, conglomerates already in business in Jharkhand are worried about crime and insurgency levels in the State. "We don't feel safe here anymore,'' said a senior official of a big corporate house. A source said employees of another company were considering withdrawing altogether from the State fearing further violence by Maoists. "The government needs to work hard to make Jharkhand investor-friendly,'' said Sanjay Srivastava, DGM, corp.com, Abhijeet Group. The Police are in a bind because of increasing numbers of Maoist splinter groups. At least seven rebel factions are involved in turf wars in the State with abductions of industrialists becoming increasingly common. "These groups terrorise each other if they tread into one another's territory,'' said a Senior Police Officer.

Cadres of the PLFI, a breakaway faction of the CPI-Maoist were arrested from the Silam area in Gumla District. Acting on a tip-off, the Police team led by Raidih Police Station OC Digvijay Singh carried out the raid. Self-styled 'area commander' Sandeep Tirkey along with one of his associates had planned to kill a contractor in the town, according to Police reports. Gumla SP N K Singh said that "Sandeep is an 'area commander' of PLFI and has been taken into custody along with one of his associates. A 9 mm pistol, five bullets, a motorcycle and mobile sets have been confiscated from the arrested persons."

The SFs killed 550 CPI-Maoist cadres and arrested 4,090 others in the past one decade in the State, Chief Minister Arjun Munda said in the State capital Ranchi. He said after the creation of the new State, Maoist activities in the form of killing and abducting for extortion and holding of kangaroo courts' went up, which is a matter of concern and the State Police was being revamped to deal with the situation. Of the 18 Maoist-affected Districts of the State 14 are seriously affected but the Planning Commission-sponsored Integrated Development Programme is being executed to isolate the militants, he said. Asked about Jharkhand's preparations for tackling the menace, Munda said, "the Government has chalked out an integrated programme under which State Police, CPMF, Central and State intelligence agencies are working in tandem." "To tackle Maoist menace, the manpower in all the 118 Police Stations of the Naxalite LWE-affected areas has been doubled," he said and added under the scheme 13,000 additional personnel have been appointed in the Police Stations.

The Jharkhand Police and the CRPF chalked out a joint strategy for an operation against the Maoists in the mineral-rich Districts.

The firing squad of the Maoists also abducted and killed Biswajit Yadav (30) and Ajay Thakur (32) in Lawadi village in Palamu District, the Police said in Medininagar. The victims were supporters of the TPC, a break away faction of the CPI-Maoist. Latehar SP Kuldeep Dwivedi, also in-charge of Palamu, confirmed the incident. He said that "A poster recovered from the site of the killing prima facie suggests that Maoists killed Yadav and Thakur as the duo were supporters of TPC."

Two villagers were abducted and subsequently killed by cadres of the PLFI, a break away faction of the CPI-Maoist in Khunti District. The deceased duo identified as Sukra Pahan (25) and Balram Singh (27) were abducted from their houses in Bandra village in the District in the night of April 17 and fired 13 bullets at them, killing them on the spot, SP Manoj Kaushik said.

Reports indicate that a second battalion of the CRPF will keep extra vigil in the Maoist infested Jhumra area of Bokaro District, while Dumka in Santhal Pargana, will get its first Paramilitary troopers. Announcing the two new battalions of the force, CRPF IG Alok Raj said reinforcement had become necessary because the troopers were not just fighting the Maoists in these places, but also splinter outfits like the PLFI, TPC and JPC. Currently, the CRPF has 13 battalions and two CoBRA units in the State. "Even six years ago, the Police did not dare to enter the Saranda forests in fear of Maoists. But in the past year, the CRPF entered the zone four times. The continued presence of Paramilitary Forces in Jhumra, which was once the training hub of Maoists, has dealt a severe blow to the Maoist outfit," Raj said. "While we have strengthened our base, the same has been done by Maoists in Chatra, Latehar, Palamu, Khunti and Dumka. So, the need to raise more battalions," he added.

An encounter was reported between the SFs and CPI-Maoist cadres at a transit camp of the Maoists in the Rajabasa village under Gurabanda Police Station in Ghatshila sub-division in East Singhbhum District. The SFs neutralised the transit camp of the Maoists and recovered fire arms and explosives. According to the SSP Akhilesh Jha, 100 rounds of fire were exchanged with the Maoists during the course of operation that lasted 15 minutes. Though there was no casualty, report indicated that the Maoists retreated to the West Bengal. "We have recovered country-made pistol, detonator, pipe bomb wireless set, Maoist literature, half-baked food items, dry ration, Army uniforms and polythene sheet from the site," said the SSP.

Three CPI-Maoist cadres, reported to be aides of 'zonal commander' Kundan Pahan, surrendered before SSP Praveen Kumar in Ranchi District. The surrendered Maoists are identified as Arjun Mirdha (32) Ram Lohra (19) and Sukhram Singh Munda (18). Mirdha is a resident of Ramdera village while both Lohra and Munda were residents of Huanghatu village. Mirdha is said to have joined the Maoist organisation in 2001, after being influenced by Maoist leader Nitin da. "Arjun Mirdha was also a member of the squad which had abducted and killed trader Mahesh Mahto and his brother at Sataki in Angara Police Station area in 2009," SSP Kumar said. Prodded about the reasons to surrender, Mirdha said that he was disillusioned with the Maoist ideology. Further, the SSP added that of the other two, Ram Lohra joined the rebel faction in 2007 and was actively involved in organising guerrilla meetings in villages. "Lohra received arms training in Porahat and used to carry an SLR rifle with him. He is accused of attacking a Police team in Arki in 2009 and ambushing a Police camp in Baruhatu," Kumar said. Sukhram Singh Munda, on the other hand, joined the Maoists in 2007 and was mainly engaged in arranging food for the squad members. Each of the surrendered Maoists were provided INR 50, 000 under the State Government's surrender policy.

The CPI-Maoist cadres have called for bandh in the State on today [April 23], to protest against the ongoing demolition drive in the State. In the last one-and-half months, more than 4,600 illegal structures have been demolished in the State, affecting more than 100,000 people. In the next two to three weeks, the ongoing drive, on the directive of the Jharkhand High Court, could render more than 500,000 people homeless. The Maoists have termed the demolition drive as against the poor people, alleging that it is going to help the capitalist class. "All the District Police Chiefs have been alerted in light of the Maoist shutdown called on Saturday [April 23]," a Police spokesman said. Security of railway tracks, important Government buildings and other key installations has also been beefed up.

Three cadres of the CPI-Maoist were arrested during a search operation by SFs from Bhushudih village under Tamar Police Station area in Ranchi District. The Police also recovered two claymore landmines from them. The three Maoist cadres, identified as Nandlal Lohra and Manoj Lohra of Sosokutti village and Bablu Munda of Nembo village, are associated with 'Zonal commander' Kundan Pahan, who is known as the 'Veerapan of Jharkhand.'

The bandh called by the Maoists to protest the anti-encroachment drive, evoked a mixed response in Bokaro. While it failed in and around the steel city, including Chas, Chandankyari, Chandrapura and Jaina More, the bandh had impacted Bermo sub-division, especially Nawadih and Gomia blocks. Posters supporting the Maoists were found on walls in Jarangdih, 55 kilometres from Bokaro steel city, which were later removed by SFs.

The Jharkhand State Police have come up with a new strategy to fight Naxalism (LWE) in the State. The decision was taken at a high level meeting headed by DGP GS Rath at the Police Headquarters in Ranchi. The Police would strengthen its intelligence resources and extend its reach among the rural masses to take stock of the Naxal outfits. It would make new pickets in the sensitive areas and curb the CPI-Maoist menace in the rural belt of the State.

Bokaro Police arrested Rameshwar Manjhi alias Mangra (39), a Maoist sub-zonal 'commander', from Bhavani forests in Nawadih block in Bokaro District.

A Maoists squad assaulted the employees of Patil Construction Company of Maharashtra, and threatened them with dire consequences, if work continued at the extension of National Highway 75 from Padwa More in Palamu District to Murisemar in Garhwa District.

The cadres of the CPI-Maoist killed three persons, including a woman, in two separate incidents in Khunti District. According to the Police, two slained bodies, including that of a woman were recovered from Riva village.

The CPI-Maoist cadres killed Ranjan Kumar (23), a mining engineer at Chama village under Maneka Police Station in Latehar District. Kumar was working as a mining engineer at one of the collieries in North Karnapura (Dakra) area of the Central Coalfields Limited, situated at Khelari in Ranchi District, Police sources said.

Times of India reports that cadres of the PLFI, a break away faction of the CPI-Maoist killed a shopkeeper, identified as Bindeshwar Sahu, at Brinda-Bahuartoli village around 10 kilometres away from Gumla District.

DSP Anand Joseph Tigga was injured in crossfire during a search operation in the Sataki forest area near Silli in Ranchi District. According to the Police sources, the DSP along with his bodyguards and some CRPF troopers was out on a search operation in the area, acting upon information about movement of a few suspected Maoists carrying automatic weapons.

11 SF personnel were killed and nearly 40 injured when CPI-Maoist cadres set off landmines in an ambush in Lohardaga District. After a tip off about Maoists having assembled there, the CRPF, Jharkhand Jaguar, JAP and DAP personnel went to Urumuru village, but returned after not finding anyone. While the SFs were returning from Urumuru the Maoists ambushed them at Dhardhariya hills under Senha Police Station in the District.

An encounter occurred between a CRPF patrol team and the Maoists in Jhumra, about 113 kilometres from Bokaro. More than 1,100 rounds were exchanged between the troopers and some 50 Maoists for over three hours. However, no casualties were reported.

Four cadres of the TPC, a break away faction of the CPI-Maoist, identified as Sukhdev Bhagat, Indradev Ganju, Khusihal Lohra of Harehanj village and Sanjay Oram of Chandawa village were arrested by the Police during a raid in Monger village under Sadar Police Station limits in Latehar District.

Three CPI-Maoist cadres were arrested from a forest area situated under Gomia Police Station Bokaro District. Acting on a tip off, the three Maoist cadres, including Vakil Mahto, sub-zonal 'commander' of the Maoists were arrested from the forest area situated around 130 kilometres from Ranchi. The identity of the other two is yet to be ascertained, the Police said. 50 kilograms of ammonium nitrate used in the making of explosives and incriminating documents were recovered from their possession, the Police added.

The cadres of the PLFI, a breakaway faction of the CPI-Maoist killed a 32-year-old villager in Jharkhandi village under Bandugaon Police Station in West Singhbhum District. The deceased identified as Christopi Horo was chatting with some other villagers near a church when four PLFI cadres in motorcycles shot him dead. Police suspect Hora was killed for being a sympathiser of the rival group CPI-Maoists.

A Maoist bunker was neutralised by the SFs during search operation in Latehar District. The SFs comprising the CRPF and the District Police came across the bunker situated between two hills at Pathalkudwa forest, SP, Kuldip Diwedi said. In all 60 detonators, three cylinder bombs, four grenades, three rifles, two bundles of wire and five walkie-talkies were recovered, he added. Later, the SFs neutralised the bunker, Diwedi added.

The CPI-Maoist cadres have called for a 24-hour nationwide bandh, to protest against the arrest of three of their central committee members, Pulendu Mukherjee alias Saheb, Umesh Yadav alias Abhimanyu, and Nokhe Lal Choudhury alias Suraj Shyamji from Katihar in Bihar on April 29.

The CPI-Maoist cadres set ablaze five tractors in their bid to enforce a one-day bandh to protest the arrest of three of their leaders in Bihar, at Sohdag village in Palamau District. SP A. T. Mathew said that around 20 to 25 Maoists set ablaze five tractors and assaulted some labourers involved in the road construction work near Itki, around 140 kilometres from Ranchi.

The CPI-Maoist cadres blew up the vacant ancestral house of JMM MP Kameshwar Baitha, a former Maoist zonal 'commander' who was released on bail on May 7, in Palamau District. "A group of Maoists stuffed dynamite in the vacant house of Baitha before triggering the blast at Danchabar village in Bishrampur, about 55 kilometres from Medininagar," SP Anup Mathew said.

The cadres of the CPI-Maoist blew up a rail track in Bokaro District. "On Thursday, while enforcing a daylong shutdown, Maoists blasted a railway track between the Gomia and Dumri railway stations in Bokaro District.

About 250 to 300 Maoist cadres including women cadres, raided the camp office of M/s ILFS & GR Infra Projects Limited at Morandih under the Hazaribagh Mufassil Police Station in Hazaribagh District, and set ablaze 30 vehicles and equipments including five Miller machines, eight Hiwas (used in road construction) and eight tankers, one Batching Plant, a DG Set, besides other equipment, SP Pankaj Kamboj, said.

Five cadres of the PLFI, a break away faction of the CPI-Maoist were shot dead reportedly by Maoist cadres at a wedding ceremony in Loki village at Raidih in Gumla District.

Two persons, identified as Haradhan Baske (35) and Vinay Shaw, were killed by the CPI-Maoist cadres, thinking them to be Police informers at Jhujhaka village, close to West Bengal border in Patamda, about 60 kilometres from Jamshedpur District. The victims were returning home riding on the motorcycle from Kuchai.

The four persons of a family were killed by the cadres of the PLFI, a breakaway faction of the CPI-Maoist, at Dakeya village in Okba panchayat under Basia Police Station in Gumla District. The PLFI cadres tied their hands and took to Karisokra forest where their throats were slit. They also fired five rounds at the incident site. The Maoists were led by Rajendra, Arjun Mahli, Gobardhan and Bale, ASP Shanni Tigga, SDPO C K Sinha, said.

The victims were identified as Jitu Badai (45), Mahesh Badai (40), Basant Badai and Shit Badai, all brothers. "About 30-35 uniform-clad assailants raided Jitu's house at 10 pm and knocked on the door. When he refused to open it, a local rebel identifying himself as Arjun Mahli asked for water. As Jitu opened the door, PLFI men caught him and took him to his younger brother Mahesh's house where two others Basant and Shit were also captured," said Alta Devi, the sister of the deceased. Alta said PLFI cadres had demanded money from her brothers.

An encounter broke out between the Maoists and SF personnel at Rairda forest in Saraikela-Kharsawan District. DIG, Kolhan, Navin Kumar Singh said the Maoists fired at the patrolling SF contingent, which included the District Police, at Burudih village. As the SF personnel returned the fire, the Maoists retreated, he added.

Three Maoists were arrested in Hazaribagh District. The arrestees, identified as Dhruva Hembram, Bhattu Manjhi and Jablu Manjhi, were arrested on a tip-off from near Konar Dam as they were meeting to discuss an attack on the Police.

Huge quantities of ammonium nitrate were recovered and one person was arrested at Dumraon village in Hazaribagh District. Acting on a tip-off, a Police team raided the house of one Kedar Bhuyan and recovered several bags of ammonium nitrate, DSP Sangeeta Kumari said. She said Bhuyan was being interrogated to ascertain whether the explosives were meant to be supplied to the CPI-Maoist to make landmines and if the arrested man had permit to store explosive materials.

Four Maoists, including a woman, were arrested by the Police from Chanduagarh village under Sena Police Station area in Lohardaga District, in connection with the Dhardhariya ambush that had killed 11 SF personnel on May 3. The arrestees are identified as Suna Kharva, Bishnu Asur, Sudhua Asur and Rehena Khatun (20), SP A V Minz said. "After interrogation they confessed involvement in the incident. It was Suna who had called up the Police that ten Maoists had congregated at Dhardhariya and a series of landmines were blasted no sooner had the team reached there," Minz said.

Three cadres of the PLFI, a break away faction of the CPI-Maoist, including a woman, were arrested from Tupudana area in Ranchi District. The arrested extremists were identified as Sonam, Victor and Manoj. A pistol, Maoist literature and some incriminating documents were recovered from them.

Two women Maoists identified as Gita Ganju and Reshmi Mahli surrendered before SSP Praven Kumar. They were given INR 50,000 cash each under the rehabilitation policy. Both were active Maoists and were working under 'zonal commander' Kundan Pahan, also known as the 'Veerapan' of Jharkhand.

Maoist leader Tilku Singh was arrested along with arms and ammunition by a Police team, said Gumla SDPO Chandan Kumar Sinha.

A CRPF trooper, Gulam Hussain, sustained bullet injuries when a squad of 50 CPI-Maoist cadres ambushed a paramilitary and Police team on a combing operation at Duragarha, 70 kilometres from Hazaribagh District headquarters. Barhi SDPO Arun Kumar Sinha said the search mission was launched to nab Maoist zonal commander Indal, alias Uma Bhokta. "The search party was attacked by Maoists around 8.30am. SFs retaliated. We suspect at least three rebels were also injured. However, we have not recovered any arms and ammunition from the spot," he said.

Two top cadres of the CPI-Maoist surrendered in Jharkhand, Police said. The two - one of them Viswanath Singh, the Kharwar 'zonal commander' - surrendered before Jharkhand DGP G.S. Rath. They handed over a rifle and live cartridges to Police. Singh was wanted in more than 17 cases by the police. Under the state's rehabilitation policy, Rath gave INR 50,000 cash to each of them.

An attempt by the TPC to extort money from two companies, engaged by the ONGC to carry out a survey on availability of gas in its two plants at Taleswar village in Barkagaon, was foiled by an IRB trooper.

The Gumla Police arrested Gobardhan Gope, a 'commander' of Jai-Jharkhand Tiger, a new splinter group of the PLFI, a breakaway faction of the CPI-Maoist, during a special operation from Basia and Kamdara Police Station area in Gumla District. Gope became the kingpin of the gang after its leader Tilku Singh was arrested by a Police team, said Gumla SDPO Chandan Kumar Sinha.

Six vehicles, including three food grain-laden trucks, were set ablaze by the cadres of the CPI-Maoist on a busy State highway near Daltonganj in Palamu District. Around 40 Maoists laced with fire-arms intercepted the vehicles, asked the drivers, cleaners and passengers to get down before setting them ablaze on Medininagar-Aurangabad Road under Chhatarpur Police Station.

The Police arrested a senior Maoist leader identified as Drikdeo Paswan alias Guerrilla, 'zonal commander' from Japla railway station in the Palamu District, when he was about to catch a train for Varanasi.

Intelligence inputs report that the Maoists under the leadership of central committee member Misir Besra alias Sunirmal alias Bhaskarji is planning attacks on Security Forces in Arki, Tamar, Bundu or Chowka blocks of the State.

The SER authorities issued a bulletin, extending the ban on movement of night trains on Kharagpur-Tata, Chakradharpur-Rourkela and Kharagpur-Adra sections till June 2.

A suspected CPI-Maoist cadre was arrested with a bomb packed with 20 kilograms of explosives in Khunti District. The bomb was later defused, the Police said.

The Police recovered an IED from bushes near the Mosanga forest in the District. It was also defused. After a search, the Police arrested Vipin Sahu, a suspected cadre of the PLFI, a breakaway faction of the Maoists, from Moranga village in the District.

Suspected cadres of the TPC, a break away faction of the CPI-Maoist, set ablaze a truck, laden with tendu leaf, at Kitatsoti village in Garhwa District. According to the Police, the LWE stopped the truck and assaulted the driver before setting ablaze the vehicle.

Several highway repair projects, meant for key road links between the State capital and vulnerable Districts housing CPI-Maoist camps, are running slow because of Maoist threat, with authorities having all but given up hope about their future. Among the revamp projects worst hit are the ones on NH-75 (Ranchi-Daltonganj road), NH-99 (Chandwa-Chatra road) and NH-75E (Ranchi-Chaibasa road.

DGP G.S. Rath chose to paint a grim picture of the overall security scenario of Jharkhand and called the situation "war-like" while referring to the recent spate of Maoist attacks that targeted construction companies and their equipment as well as men in uniform. Speaking about the Maoist ambush in Lohardaga on May 3 in which 11 policemen were killed, the DGP said, "Despite being lured into a Maoist trap my boys valiantly repulsed the Naxalites and no weapons were lost." He added that though there were no trophies of victory yet, his forces had been venturing into previously inaccessible areas. "A war-like scenario is prevailing. We win some, we lose some. We are having encounters in interior areas with Naxalites," he said.

In Chatra District, another group of Maoists went to three adjoining villages and set ablaze ten tractors and five other machineries at the villages, Chatra SP Prabhat Kumar said. Denial of extortion by the contractors could be the motive behind the arson in Chatra, Kumar said.

The SFs were put on high alert after the intelligence wing reported about the diktat given by CPI-Maoist 'zonal commander' Kundan Pahan to his men, indicating a Maoist operation in the forests of Ranchi and Khunti Districts during the monsoons. "Ab samay aa gaya hai kuchh karne ka (the time has come to do something)," was the diktat from Pahan to his cadres over phone.

A woman was killed in crossfire and three CPI-Maoist cadres were injured when the Maoists engaged SF personnel in a brief gun battle at Bareda forest, about 70 kilometres from Ranchi. Additional Superintendent of Police Apoorva, who led the combing team comprising Central Reserve Police Force, Jharkhand Jaguar and District Police personnel, said they were cordoning off the forest in Tamar Police Station area around 6.10 am when a squad of 15 Maoists opened fire. The victim was identified as Neelmani Mahto (55), a local villager. A 9mm pistol with four rounds, three mobile handsets and four SIM cards were recovered from the encounter site.

Maoists set ablaze a Bolero, three trucks and two costly machinery in Lohardaga District, the Police said. "Suspected Maoists torched a Bolero, three trucks and two costly machinery engaged at Pakhar Bauxite Mining in Lohardaga District this morning [June 1]," Lohardaga Superintendent of Police (SP) Asim Vikrant Minz said. The vehicles and equipment belonged to Atul Agarwal, who had taken a contract from HINDALCO, he said.

Three CPI-Maoist cadres were killed and as many Policemen were injured in a gunfight at Murhu in Khunti District. The gunfight ensued when a group of Maoists attacked a Police escort party at Murhu to snatch rifles from them near a bank, IGP S. N. Pradhan said. Pradhan did not rule out the possibility of Maoists' plan to loot the SBI branch. Police inspector P. K. Mishra told newsmen at Khunti, that about 30 Maoists were involved in the attack and managed to take away three rifles of the injured policemen before fleeing the spot.

SSP Praveen Kumar Singh confirmed that Police have information to suggest that Maoists are eyeing urban youths from the people displaced in the recent eviction drives across the State as prospective recruits.

Six Maoists, including a woman, who were arrested for their foiled attempt to the loot SBI branch at Murhu in Khunti District on June 2, were forwarded to jail on June 4.

Jharkhand Police spokesperson S. N. Pradhan said a brief encounter with the cadres of the CPI-Maoist took place near Kochang village under Arki Police Station of Khunti District earlier in the evening. Pradhan said Maoists had gathered near Kochang village after which an anti-Maoist operation was launched. However, no casualty was reported from either side despite more than 200 rounds were fired from each side.

CRPF DG K. Vijay Kumar, spent an impromptu night with troopers at the remote Labhor camp in Maoist-infested Garu jungles of Latehar District while making a surprise visit.

A group of cadres of the PLFI, a breakaway faction of the CPI-Maoist, lead by it 'sub-zonal commander' Mangal Nagesia shot dead three persons, said to be Maoist supporters, at Jamgai village of Gumla District, Police said. The victims were identified as Gandura Oraon, Sukra Oraon and Somnath Oraon. The incident is suspected to be a revenge killing as five of PLFI cadres were killed by Maoists during a marriage reception function at Loki village, about half a kilometre from Jamgai on May 15.

Three handmade missiles and one manual missile launcher were recovered by the Police from a Maoist hideout at Oraien village in Latehar District.

The CPI-Maoist issued fresh warnings to youths at the villages of Huntergunj block in Chatra District, threatening them with dire consequences if they work as Police informers. The posters that were stuck on boundary walls of houses and at market places in the villages of Nawadih, Punari, Bhojpur, Julia and Khutikewal asked young men to banish even the thought of working as SPOs. DSP in Chatra Amber Lakra admitted that the department had engaged village youths to work for them as SPOs, but refused to divulge their numbers.

The CPI-Maoist cadres used earthmovers to destroy a school building in Chatra District. According to eyewitnesses, around 150 Maoists, clad in guerrilla fatigue and armed with semi-automatic weapons, led three bulldozers, which were being used to dig a pond in a nearby cluster, into Kaura village in Pratappur block around 6.30 pm. They held around 40 people in the Kaura market at gunpoint and directed them to turn off mobile phones if any. While the villagers watched, the Maoists commanded the drivers of the earthmovers to pull down every brick of the 10-room Kaura Government High School building. SDPO S.A. Rizwi confirmed the Maoist attack, saying 'area commander' Ajay Ganjhu led the operation. However, no one was injured in the incident.

Two cadres of the PLFI, a breakaway faction of the CPI-Maoist, were arrested from Sunkunda village under Basia Police Station of Gumla District. Those arrested were identified as Kuleshwar Singh and Somri Devi. Three rifles and 28 rounds of ammunition were recovered from them.

An 'area commander' of the CPI-Maoist, identified as Ramcharan Singh, carrying a reward of INR 50,000 on his head was shot dead by some unidentified armed assailants in Kedli forest under Burmu Police Station in Ranchi District. According to reports he had an ongoing conflict with TPC regarding 'levy collection' and had escaped many attempts on his life. However, no outfit has so far claimed responsibility for the killing.

Two CPI-Maoist cadres including a women, identified as 'sub-zonal commander' Prakash Rana, alias Samardeep and Anjali Hembram, surrendered with a pistol and a rifle before Police in Giridih District. The surrendered Maoists also handed over INR one million that they collected as "levy". While Rana is a resident of Chandmundi in Jamui District of Bihar, Hembram hailed from Tilaya under Giridih District. Rana, who was involved in recent blowing up a Police jeep in Jamui, was wanted in connection with nine cases in Jharkhand and Bihar, Police said.

Eight labourers of brick kiln at Badaki Chanpi village under Kuru Police Station in Lohardaga District who were abducted by Jharkhand Sangharsh Jan Mukti Morcha (JSJMM), a purported Left Wing Extremist group, on June 8 were rescued in combing operation launched by Police. Sources said 10 JSJMM armed men under command of one Laudha Ganjhu had attacked the kiln after they failed to get the 'levy' from the owner.

Cadres of the CPI-Maoist exchanged fire with the CRPF for about an hour in Alipa village under Pratappur Police Station of Chatra District.

A 23-year-old CPI-Maoist cadre, wanted in four cases of possession of illegal firearms and attack on Police officers, surrendered before the officer-in-charge of Bundu Police Station.

DGP Gauri Shankar Rath claimed that the Naxalite [Left-Wing Extremist] movement had weakened in Jharkhand in the recent times. Surrender of a large number of extremists bore testimony to this, he added. Speaking to the media Rath said the surrender policy of the Jharkhand Government was a huge success.

The Police recovered 46 rounds of ammunition, two letter pads and 50 metres of fuse wire used in landmine explosions by CPI-Maoist cadres from under a hay stack at Anandpur Toroa Toli about 70 kilometres from Ranchi in the Kisku Police Station area in Lohardaga District. SP Asim Vikrant Minz said they had acted on a tip-off. "Out of 46 rounds of ammunition, 43 is of 306mm bore used in single-shot rifle while three are of 9mm bore used in pistols," the SP said. OIC of Kisku Police Station Munu Tudu agreed, saying the letter pad bore the old name of the banned outfit. "The letter pad is printed in Hindi. Maovadi Community Centre is written on it," the OIC said.

Around 15 to 20 CPI-Maoist cadres stopped three coal-laden trucks near Kalyanpur Kata village of Chatra District and set ablaze the trucks. The drivers were brutally beaten up by the Maoists. The refusal of coal businessmen to meet the extortion demands can be the reason behind the incident, Police said.

High alert has been sounded in the State ahead of 24-hour bandh called by Maoist to protest the arrest of their erstwhile politburo leader Jagdish Master in Gaya District of Bihar on June 12.

The CPI-Maoist cadres in a bid to blow up the railway tracks were able to damage only two slabs near the Mohammadganj Railway Station in Palamau District, during the 24-hour bandh called in Jharkhand, Bihar and north Chhattisgarh.

The Maoists set ablaze a generator set of a mobile tower of a private telecom company in the District, SP Anup T Mathew said.

About 40 to 50 armed CPI-Maoist cadres blew up Lohiya Samta High School building at Ketar village under the Bhawnathpur Police Station area of Garhwa District. "The incident was carried out under the leadership of the Maoist inter-state zonal head Munna Vishwakarma," sources said, adding that the Maoists had arrived at Bhawnathpur from Bihar's Navhata-Chutia Police Station area after crossing river Sone. "The Maoists used three can bombs containing ammonium nitrate," said Garhwa SP Richar Lakra. Sources also said that construction of a Police Station at Ketar was under process. When the Maoists came to know that the action plan to set up a Police Station, they blew up the school building to register their presence in the area.

The CPI-Maoist cadres set ablaze two vehicles and machinery of a drilling company in Latehar District. About 50 Maoists went to Parsahi village in the wee hours and set ablaze to a truck, a jeep and two drilling machines of the R K Drilling company engaged in survey of mines, the Police said. Non-payment of extortion was said to be the reason behind the arson.

On condition of anonymity, a senior Police officer claimed that the State Government is not concerned about the Security of surrendered Maoists and is not implementing welfare schemes meant for their families.

An armed squad of over 70 CPI-Maoist blew up railway tracks and trapped a pilot engine with two RPF Policemen, killing one of them in a bid to loot weapons, between Dumri-Bihar and Dania railway stations near Jhumra Hills in Bokaro District. According to senior public relations officer of the Dhanbad Rail Division, Amrendra Das, the RPF Policeman killed was identified as Anil Kumar Rai. His colleague, B. Chand, along with engine driver S. Mahto and his assistant N. Mehta were injured. Later the Maoists set ablaze the engine, he said.

A local court sentenced four CPI-Maoist cadres to death, for the Chilkari massacre in which former Jharkhand Chief Minister Babulal Marandi's son was among 19 people killed. The four Maoists were identified as Chhatrapati Mandal, Manoj Rajwar, Jitan Marandi and Anil Ram.

The CPI-Maoist posters appealing to boycott the by-election scheduled for July 1, for the Jamshedpur Lok Sabha seat, were found in Ghorabandha area of Ghatshila tehsil in East Singhbhum District.

SF personnel detected and defused four landmines suspected to be planted by CPI-Maoist cadres at Hatnaburu in West Singhbhum District. The landmines, weighing an average 15 kilograms each, were planted in four different places under a kutcha road deep inside Saranda forest targeting the SF, SP A. K. Singh said.

Three CPI-Maoist camps were neutralized during the three-day operation that was launched in Saranda forest in West Singhbhum District. 17 suspected Naxalites, including four women, were detained and over 200 kilograms of explosives seized in the operation. The operation team engaged the Maoists in an encounter near Chadra village in the evening of June 28. The offensive was launched on June 26 midnight after arrested Maoist Nirmal Jharia on June 18 tipped the SFs off about Maoist training camps being run in the forest.

Suspected cadres of the CPI-Maoist set ablaze to a tanker and another vehicle of a Kolkata-based construction company at Dhabatand in Giridih District for allegedly refusing to pay extortion, Police said. The construction company, which has been laying road between Giridih-Dumri, had refused to pay extortion, sources said.

Maoists have threatened to kill 40 people to take revenge for the death penalty awarded last week to four of their comrades by a Giridih court, Police said.

Director General of Police G. S. Rath said that opium cultivation in the State is being done under the patronage of Maoists.

CPI-Maoist cadres shot dead a former top-ranked cadre for snapping ties with the outfit in Giridih District, Police said. Munda had moved away from the CPI-Maoist following a dispute over distribution of extortion money in the ranks of the Maoists, he added.

The CoBRA of the CRPF destroyed two Maoist camps in a combing operation at the Saranda forest in West Singhbhum District.

Through posters put up in Latehar District, Maoists have invited displaced people to join their cadre, Police said. The posters invited people to join the CPI-Maoist's PLGA.

Suspected CPI-Maoist cadres killed an 'area commander' of the PLFI, a breakaway faction of the CPI-Maoist, at Kolambi-Dipatoli village in Gumla District. The slain 'area commander' was identified as Chhotka Gop.

Coinciding with the Lok Sabha by-election in Jamshedpur, the Maoists have declared a 24-hour state-wide bandh from midnight of June 30 to protest against the death penalty awarded to four Maoists for the 2007 Chilkhari massacre.

At least three CPI-Maoist cadres were killed when SFs, including CoBRA personnel, attacked Maoist 'zonal commander' Ajay Mahto's 35 cadre-strong squad at a place between rugged hills and dense forests near Telaiya village in Hazaribagh District. After the Maoists fled, a combing operation in the area yielded INR 6.90 lakh in cash, a large numbers of uniforms, utensils, food grain, medicines, a 9-mm pistol, four live cartridges and 14 empty cartridges of AK-47.

Over 100 Maoists set ablaze five dumpers and an earthmover belonging to a private contractor engaged in excavation of bauxite for Hindalco Industries Limited, an aluminium manufacturing company at Pakhar mines under Kisko Police Station in Lohardaga District, the Police said.

Polling in Maheshpur in Ghatsila sub-divison was disrupted for a while after CPI-Maoist cadres fired in the air to scare away voters during the Jamshedpur Parliamentary by-polls.

On the direction of the Election Commission, an FIR was filed with the Sakshi Police Station in Jamshedpur against Jharkhand Vikas Morcha (Prajatantric) [JVM-P] party candidate Ajay Kumar after a rival candidate complained of having an audio CD where Kumar is purportedly "conversing with a Maoist leader" to garner votes for Jamshedpur Lok Sabha by poll.

The CPI-Maoist regional committee secretary Samarji called for a bandh on July 4, the day Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram is to arrive in Ranchi to talk about anti-Naxal operations. "The bandh has been called to protest against the ongoing operations against the poor and marginalized tribals, especially in the Saranda forests, both by Jharkhand and Orissa governments," Samarji Said. He even warned Chidambaram to pull out the security forces from the jungles in Jharkhand, Odisha and Chhattisgarh.

Four former cadres of the PLFI, a breakaway faction of the CPI-Maoist, who broke away to form their own group, were arrested after a brief gun-fight at Turiamba village in Gumla District.

The Police arrested a Maoist, identified as Gobardhan Rai, who carried a head money of INR 30,000 and was wanted in several cases in Dumka District, SP, Hemant Toppo said. Following a tip-off, Rai was arrested from Kulkanth forest under Kathikund Police Station in the District. Rai had joined the Maoists in 2004.

DG of CRPF K. Vijay Kumar endorsed deploying of four additional paramilitary battalions to fight the CPI-Maoist and other LWE outfits in Jharkhand.

The SF during an encounter in the Sarju-Gotag hills axis under Latehar Police Station neutralised a training camp of the CPI-Maoist in Koel Sank Zone and recovered IED and indigenous arms factories spread over an area of two square kilometres.

The camp, considered the backbone of Naxalism in Bihar and Jharkhand, often remained guarded with over 100 Maoists and more than 500 IED were planted on the routes to the camp.

A Maoist leader in the Panchparganiya area, identified as Heera Singh Munda (50), and Etwa Mahali, a 15-year-old Maoist courier, were arrested from a forest area under Bundu Police Station in Ranchi District.

A Maoist, identified as Sanjay Singh Munda (21), surrendered before the Police at Bundu Police Station in the District.

The CPI-Maoist dubbed the State Government's move of amending the Chhotanagpur Tenancy Act (CNT) and the Santhal Pargana Tenancy Act (SPT) as a "conspiracy against the poor" and appealed to all the tribals to oppose the move.

Lalpur Police arrested a PLFI cadre identified as Vijay Sahu, who hails from Marchu village under Murhu Police Station area, from Burdwan compound area in the District. The Police were trying to verify the cases lodged against him under Khunti Police Station.

The cadres of the PLFI, a break away faction of the CPI-Maoist killed two civilians identified as Dileep Singh and Bittu Singh by slitting their throats in Chatra District, charging them with being Police informers.

Ranchi Police arrested two PLFI cadres with arms and ammunition from Lapung Police Station area in Ranchi District.

The Union Home Ministry decided to deploy two MI-17 helicopters in Jharkhand by next month.

Four battalions of the CRPF, approved by Union home minister P Chidambaram during his meeting with the DGP on July 4, is also likely to be deployed in the state very soon.

A local contractor-cum-trader was killed by cadres of the PLFI, a break away faction of the CPI-Maoist, at his shop in Patratoli village of Raidih Police Station in Gumla District.

The Maoist cadres dug deep trenches at seven different locations along two major roads connecting two villages Sidki Satvahini and Kaura-Ghorighat under Pratappur Police Station area in Chatra District.

During a three-day tour, CRPF DG K Vijay Kumar visited frontal CRPF camps in the State at Lodhai village in the dense Saranda forest of West Singhbhum and Churchu in Hazaribagh District.

CPI-Maoist cadres carried out a blast at the house of one of the dissenters, their 'commander', Upendra Rai, in Pilpra village in Palamu District, in order to keep away several Maoists who had decided to move out and start their own outfits or join another group.

Four suspected Maoists were arrested from separate places in Garhwa District.

The Police on a tip-off arrested Sanjay Khalko, a cadre of the TPC, the break-away faction of the CPI-Maoist from the roadside hotel at the Birhu check post in Hazaribagh District.

A Maoist cadre identified as Sukhram Lohra (35) wanted in eight cases of Maoist violence, surrendered before SSP Praveen Kumar at his office in Ranchi District.

In a joint operation by the Bermo Police and the CRPF, recovered one can bomb, three local-made bombs, 36 cartridges, one gun, one tarpaulin, one uniform and six bags which the CPI-Maoist had hidden in a bunker just 4 kilometres away from Jhumra hill near Lalgarh village in Bokaro District.

A cadre of the TPC, a break-away faction of the CPI-Maoist, was reportedly killed by CPI-Maoist cadres at Etko village in Palamu District.

Three JPC, a splinter group of the CPI-Maoist, cadres, identified as Kalam Ansari, Asfar Ansari and Ravindra Bhuiyan, were arrested and six weapons, including three rifles, were recovered from them during raids in Palamu District.

Separately, the SF arrested two suspected Maoists in the forest on the Palamu-Chatra border touching Bihar during an operation code named as 'Blue Moon' in Ranchi District.

A person, identified as Karma Sahu, was killed by suspected cadres of the CPI-Maoist in Simdega District. The dead body of Sahu was recovered in Genmer-Chandsai village in the morning, the SP Anup Birthare said.

The CPI-Maoist cadres killed Anil Oraon (24), a resident of Lai village in Garu, and Arun Yadav (35) of Kone village under Sadar Police Station, branding them as Police informers in a kangaroo court held at Sarju forests in Latehar District.

Intelligence reports claim that nine of members of the firing squad of Jharkhand's 'most wanted' Maoist Kundan Pahan have deserted him. Tulsidas alias Vishal, the main cadre of Pahan's squad, went away along with eight other associates and said to be hiding somewhere under Tamar Police Station, the reports said.

Acting on a tip off those CPI-Maoist cadres were camped at a forest and designing plans for an attack, the CRPF and the Jharkhand Police launched a combing operation in Tamar and Bundu areas, about 70 kilometres from State capital Ranchi.

The Police have registered a case against Gulach Munda, a Maoist squad leader of Ghorabandha for raping a 30-year-old physically challenged woman nine months ago in East Singhbhum District.

The Jharkhand Police are planning to change strategy to arrest Maoist leader Kundan Pahan, the alleged killer of Ramesh Singh Munda, a Janata Dal United MLA and two Police officers, including Special Branch Inspector Francis Indwar, in 2009.

A woman CPI-Maoist cadre identified as Sunita Kumari alias Shanti surrendered before the Police in Lohardaga District.

The DGP, G S Rath claimed that the response to 'Operation Nai Disha' to lure back LWE into the mainstream has been very successful and many more extremists are in the pipeline to surrender.

Jharkhand DGP Gauri Shankar Rath claimed that the left Wing Extremism situation in the State is under control. Rath said that there has been a substantial decrease in Left Wing Extremism incidents in Jharkhand. Rath said, "Naxal incidents have decreased by 5.26 per cent while Naxal-related rail incidents and landmine explosions have decreased by 12.5 per cent and 89.17 per cent, respectively, relative to last year."

A group of TPC cadres stormed Central Coalfields Limited's (CCL's) Potanga project in Urimari in Hazaribagh District, setting ablaze machinery belonging to a private contractor before escaping amid a blaze of gunfire.

Police arrested an 'area commander' of the CPI-Maoist, identified as Dilip Oraon, and four of his squad members from Kotam village in Gumla District.

A suspected woman cadre of the CPI-Maoist, believed to be close aide of Maoist leader Kundan Pahan, was arrested in Khunti District. Rupa alias Silisiya was arrested from Kamanta basti under Khunti Police Station of the District.

The CPI-Maoist forcefully acquired over 100 acres of land in Latehar District and threatened to kill those who dare to carry out any sort of activity on the land. The Maoists put up the posters throughout the nearby village debarring villages from carrying out any kind of activity on the acquired land.

Some surrendered Maoists cadres would be accommodated in the newly constructed Open Air Jail in Hazaribagh, the first such jail in Jharkhand to lodge hundred good conduct prisoners. The open jail would start in August.

In a major crackdown launched by Ranchi Police in the suburban areas under Namkum and Tatisilwai Police Station, five PLFI cadres were arrested. The five arrestees were identified as Kranti Hazam, Jai Munda, Roshan Horro, Birsa Hazam and Parsa Munda. Police recovered four locally-made pistols and four live bullets, two bikes and four cell phones from their possession.

Four cadres of the CPI-Maoist were killed in an encounter with SFs in Garu Police Station area of Latehar District. One trooper of the CoBRA was also injured in the encounter. A joint team of CRPF and State Police, led by IG Ranchi, Rezi Dungdung, raided the area and made huge recoveries including weapons and ammunitions.

A 'zonal commander' of the Kauleshwari zone of the, identified as Rajdeo Yadav alias Akela, was arrested from the forest in Rajpur-Kanhachatti region of Chatra District during an operation. Police seized arms and documents from him. Details about several Maoist cases in Hazaribagh and Chatra Districts and parts of Bihar in Gaya District were also found on his possession.

Two CRPF personnel were injured in an encounter with the CPI-Maoist cadres at Thalkobad in West Singhbhum District. The encounter took place during regular patrolling in the Maoist-hit areas of the District. Superintendent of Police A. K. Singh claimed that some Maoists also sustained injuries in the encounter.

The process of further recruitment of SPOs for rural areas for assisting the Police forces of the State was stalled as a result of recent SC judgment on SPOs in Chhattisgarh. The Jharkhand Government has adopted a wait-and-watch policy in the recruitment drive. A senior Police officer said that Jharkhand had no problem in recruiting SPOs as the SC's judgment was restricted only to Chhattisgarh where SPOs were armed and engaged in anti-Naxal operations. SPOs in Jharkhand are not deputed in any kind of anti-insurgency operation.

Cadres of the CPI-Maoist and its breakaway faction TPC exchanged fire near Pokri village in Palamau District. Blood stains found later on the spot indicated bullet injuries to both sides. However, SP Anup T. Mathew denied having heard any report of Maoist 'zonal-commander' Abhayji being killed in the turf war.

An armed squad of the CPI-Maoist comprising nine to 10 cadres raided a railway construction site at Posaita near Chakradharpur in West Singhbhum District and set ablaze seven construction equipments between 1am and 2am (local time). The vehicles - three dumpers, three earthmovers and a vibrator roller - were engaged on a project to widen railway tracks between Chakradharpur and Manoharpur. Police described the incident as a Maoist ploy to distract Security Forces engaged in operations in neighbouring Saranda forests.

Maoists set on fire two buses at Kedeg village of Gumla District. The buses were unoccupied when they were set ablaze.

The Patna Police had a brief exchanged fire with Maoists near Matachak village at Naukhaup under Imamganj Police Station in Gaya District when the Police team that had gone to the village to arrest a criminal chanced upon a Maoist squad. Both sides exchanged 12 to 15 rounds. However, no one was injured in the incident.

After keeping low for months, the CPI-Maoist cadres have begun to make their presence felt along the forested Odisha-Jharkhand border even as SFs of both States are carrying out joint combing operation for better area domination. Sources said the recent appearances of the Maoists in the border areas are manifestations of the fact that the Chhota Nagpur Zonal Committee (CNZC) of the CPI-Maoist has managed to regroup.

A CPI-Maoist 'area commander', identified as James Murmu, who was arrested on August 4 in Jharkhand, revealed that the Maoists are planning to target Mohammad Bazar station in the bordering Birbhum District of West Bengal and SFs guarding coal-laden trucks in neighbouring Pakur.

A joint team of CRPF and Police unearthed two bunkers of the CPI-Maoist and recovered 17 landmines and 30 kilograms of explosives hidden in them in Checharia forest in Giridih District. Maoist posters and other material were also recovered from the bunkers which were later dismantled.

Two CPI-Maoist cadres, identified as, Satish alias Shankar Oraon and Mahesh, were arrested during a raid in Simdega. A total of 25 gelatine sticks, a locally-made pistol, bullets, six electronic detonators, a motorcycle, three mobile sets, INR 2,400 and 25 sheets of Maoist notes were recovered from them.

A Maoist, who was accused of an attack on Babulal Marandi when the latter was the CM in 2002, surrendered before the Giridih SP. "Babumani, who hails from Gaganpur village in Bihar's Jamui District, has surrendered. He deposited a gun and a bullet," Giridih SP A. V. Homkar said.

The 24-hour bandh called by the CPI-Maoist against the ongoing operations by SFs in the Maoist-hit zones badly hit mining operations and lives of people in the rural areas. However, it had a partial impact in urban areas. The Maoists have even threatened to call an indefinite economic blockade across the State if the SFs continue their operation. Sources from the mining industry revealed that operations were crippled owing to the bandh, especially in West Singhbhum and some parts of Lohardaga, Gumla and Ramgarh.

The BSF pilots flying choppers for anti-Maoist operations in Jharkhand have complained about the poor condition of helipads in remote areas, citing serious safety issues during landing and take-off. According to sources, most of the helipads did not conform to CAR standards.

Seven PLFI cadres were arrested with arms and ammunition from Jamuari Masu Hesal Majila Toli in Angara in Ranchi District. The arrested PLFI cadres were identified as Tulsi Pahan, Kishore Munda, Shivnarayan Mahto, Subhas Ram, Brij Mahto, Naseem Ansari and Marwari Pahan. All are in the age group of 25 to 30. Arms and ammunition recovered from them include a locally-made rifle, a 9mm pistol and 25 rounds of ammunition in five magazines. "We also found posters, uniform and letter heads," Ranchi SSP Saket Kumar Singh said at a news conference. He added that this PLFI squad was new. It was constituted by one Kunwar two months ago. "The group's leader is Tulsi Pahan. They were planning to commit murders to spread terror among those from who they can collect levy," Singh said.

At least four cadres of the CPI-Maoist were shot at in an encounter with the CRPF personnel when their camp was attacked by the Maoist cadres at Rania in Khunti District. "At least four Maoists were shot at during the strong retaliatory action by the security forces, beating down the Maoists attack on CRPF camp immediately after the flag hoisting ceremony at Rania," SP Manoj Kaushik said. He said the Security men saw blood stains at several places during search operation and found out that at least four Maoists were hit by bullets and were dragged away by their retreating associates. About 200 bullets were exchanged during the encounter before Maoists retreated into the forests, the official said. However, there was no casualty on the CRPF side, he added.

SFs recovered Vitamins, health drinks, tea bags, condoms and uniforms in huge quantities as they busted sixth CPI-Maoist camp inside Saranda forest in West Singhbhum District. SFs have been carrying out anti-Maoist operations inside Saranda forest for more than a fortnight now. Kolhan DIG, Naveen Kumar Singh conceded that they had begun fine-tooth combing in Saranda since July 31, but refused to divulge any further. "Operations are going on in Saranda. Nothing more can be said at the moment". He added that the Maoist cadres too had a strong intelligence network and would have hoodwinked the raiding party if the operation had been made public earlier.

Addressing the Independence Day gathering at Police Line grounds, the Governor of Jharkhand, M.O.H. Farook termed Left-wing Extremism as the biggest challenge for the State. He said that the Police Force was being modernised and provided with manpower, equipment and training to curb the menace.

Two CPI-Maoist cadres and four other under trials pulled a gun on an assistant jailer, Rama Shankar Prasad to flee from Seraikela divisional prison in Seraikela-Kharsawan District. The incident took place around 5.30 pm, soon after the prisoners were escorted back to jail after being produced in Seraikela court. According to sources in the jail, one of the two Maoists, Balram Sahu alias David, managed to procure a pistol from his associate, Somra Hansda while being produced in court. David and the other rebel, Hansda, had been arrested from Chowka Police Station area two years ago.

The SFs had come across a Maoist training camp. "The camp was spread on around five acres and had more than 50 watch towers and huge caches of explosives were found," said SP Singh.

CPI-Maoist leader Balram Sahu alias David (28) escaped from Saraikela jail in Jharkhand to consolidate the crumbling fortress of Jharkhand's most wanted Maoist 'commander', Kundan Pahan. David is considered as one of the trusted lieutenants of Kundan.

SFs recovered three IED from Nuagaon village in the West Singhbhum District, on the Jharkhand-Odisha border. SFs also recovered around 100 metres of wire used in triggering blasts and one iron box containing literature and other books. "The forces are scanning the whole forest and are trying to flush out the Maoists. Every day we are getting some success or other," said West Singhbhum SP Arun Kumar Singh.

The Jharkhand Police are planning to take CPI-Maoist 'zonal commander' Shiv Munda alias Prashant on their remand for interrogation. Prashant alias Lambu was considered the second in command in the CPI-Maoist hierarchy controlling the Saranda forest and was responsible for collection of most of the money as well as training programmes. He was arrested by Rourkela (Odisha) Police along with two women Maoists, Kiran and Badera of Platoon 22 on august 11. Police had also recovered INR 7.5 million collected as ransom and a pistol from him.

Suspected Maoist cadres shot dead a Headmaster of a Government school at Chandni Chowk in Saraikela-Kharswan District. The victim, Indra Kumar Sao, who had a grocery shop on Chowka-Kandra Road, was at his shop when three motor-cycle borne youths arrived and one of them pumped in three bullets, the sources said. Confirming the incident, SP Abhisekh Kumar said the possibility of Maoists involvement behind the incident could not be ruled out.

A major disaster was averted when the SFs detected 20 IEDs in the Gaganpur area in Latehar District.

Three PLFI, a breakaway faction of the CPI-Maoist, cadres were arrested by the Police in Gumla.

A woman Maoist cadre was arrested along with cash, arms and ammunition at Manoharpur in Maoist-hit West Singhbhum District. "Acting on a tip-off, she was apprehended with INR 400,000, a 9 mm pistol and 12 rounds of cartridges," SP, A K Singh said.

Around 50 prisoners, including 12 Maoist cadres, sat on a dharna from 10am to 5pm at the Birsa Munda Central Jail on August 20 and skipped their lunch, showing solidarity with Anna Hazare. The Maoist cadre, Jeeten Marandi, who has been sentenced to death for the Chilkhari massacre led the protest.

After the Union and State Governments jointly launched the Operation Green Hunt against the Maoist cadres in Jharkhand, SFs have been facing different problems including the deadly malaria. Spread across a swathe of 700 hills in Jharkhand and Odisha, Saranda forests are considered a 'malaria zone'. Singh added, "All the troopers deployed at Saranda have been provided with a PF (Plasmodium Falciparum) kit. The basic problem is that we are scanning the area on foot and not by car. This is why the jawans are more vulnerable to the diseases found in the area.

Ghatshila Police arrested a suspected woman CPI-Maoist cadre, identified as Gauri, in the East Singhbhum District. She is reportedly an accused in two murder cases in Dianmari village and suspected to be a key member of the local squad active in this area.

A probe by State Prison authorities on the August 17 Seraikela divisional jail breakout revealed that two hi-tech devices installed to block cell-phone signals failed to sieve transmissions due to which taking advantage six criminals, including Maoist leader, Balaram Sahu, alias David escaped from the Chaibasa divisional jail in West Singhbhum District.

The SFs shot dead a CPI-Maoist cadre as they neutralised a training camp near Baliba village inside the Saranda forest in West Singhbhum District.

CPI-Maoist cadres killed a man in Nagahong village of Ranchi District on an unspecified date, bordering Sareikela-Kharsawan District, after branding him as a 'Police informer'. Three Maoists fired on Tinku Mehta at the weekly market in the village which led to his death, SP, Sareikela District, Akhilesh Jha said.

The campaign launched by the Police and the CRPF against the CPI-Maoist and other LWE continued for the third week from the densely forested tracts of Saranda in West Singhbhum District.

Defence Land Systems India, a joint venture between Indian vehicle manufacturer Mahindra and Mahindra and British defence Major, British Aerospace and Defence Systems handed over the first mine-protection vehicle to Jharkhand Police. The vehicle combines ballistic and blast protection capabilities and found capable of protecting passengers even when subjected to a blast from 21 kilograms of Tri- Nitro- Toulene (TNT).

CPI-Maoist cadres have sent extortion letters demanding huge sums of money to a poor household in Chakulia area of East Singhbhum District, threatening of dire consequences in case of non-compliance. A local health worker, Reena Rani, informed Police of receiving a letter from the Maoists demanding INR 100,000 as 'protection money'.

During a search operation, Police recovered five powerful landmines planted by the CPI-Maoist cadres under a culvert on a road near Pilpilo More under Navadih Police Station in Bokaro District. The landmines weighing about 20 kilograms were in active position. A bomb disposal squad later destroyed the landmines.

In a joint operation with Hazaribagh Police and CRPF, Bokaro Police arrested a hardcore Maoist, Ram Kishen Kisku alias Udit, an explosive expert, following a raid in the forests of Banaso and Jamnijara of Jhumra hills under Mahuataad Police Station in Bokaro District. Police also recovered a huge stock of live cartridges and wire which the rebels had hidden in artificial bunkers and caves in the Jhumra hills. An SLR was also recovered from Udit's possession.

Two persons, allegedly having links with the CPI-Maoist were arrested on charge of extorting money from villagers from Patamda in East Singhbhum District of Jharkhand.

Three close associates of JPC leader Rampati Ganjhu, who is currently lodged at Chatra jail, were arrested by Charhi Police in Hazaribagh District from two separate places.

The SFs claimed to have gained control of the near 700 hills in the dense forests of Saranda, in the longest ever anti-Naxal operation called 'Operation Monsoon'.

The Indian Railways is all set to construct a 97-kilometer long railway-line in Chatra District. The project, coming up at a cost of INR 5.5 billion, is being seen as a challenging task due to a strong presence of LWE in the District.

SPOs, who are either former Maoists or unemployed youths from villages and who were recruited for providing information about the Maoist cadres or assisting the anti-Maoist operation, are not being paid any honorarium for the past two months.

The State sports department has decided to handpick 100 Under-19 players each for football and hockey from all 260 blocks of the State through an elaborate screening process and then training them for four years in residential cradles.

DGP G.S. Rath said that the joint SFs from the State, Odisha Police and the CRPF had successfully completed the operation against CPI-Maoist in Saranda forests in West Singhbhum District.

Activists of the Jharkhand Janadhikar Morcha, led by Bandhu Tirkey, sat on a day-long dharna with human-rights activists against incidents of Police atrocities during the operation in Saranda forest.

The Jharkhand Chief Minister, Arjun Munda met Union rural development minister, Jairam Ramesh and requested him to widen the ambit of Centre's development plans for 14 Maoist-hit Districts of Jharkhand to the entire State.

Two CPI-Maoist cadres were killed in an exchange of fire with the SFs in the Ranga area under Manoharpur Police limits of Saranda forest in West Singhbhum District.

CPI-Maoist cadres fired at SF personnel who retaliated the firing at Rongo village in West Singhbhum District.

The dead bodies of two youths hailing from the Panki Police Station area of Palamu District were found thrown near Baresand bus-stand along the Garu-Mahuatand road in the District.

A joint team of Ranchi and Khunti Police conducted an operation at the Arki-Tamar forests under Tamar Police Station limits of Khunti District.

The Police arrested four persons, including a suspected CPI-Maoist cadre Ramvilas Lohra from the Chandil-Chowka block of Seraikela-Kharsawan District. Police also recovered a sophisticated firearm and few live cartridges from him, said sources.

Seraikela-Kharsawan Police arrested five suspected Maoists, including a former 'area commander' of the outfit, identified as Ramvilas Lohra, who used to operate in the Chandil-Chowka area. Subsequent to their arrest, the Police revealed their identity claiming the four suspected Maoists to be the henchmen of Lohra.

SFs arrested two 'sub-zonal commanders' of the CPI-Maoist and recovered a huge cache of ammunition, explosive devices and wireless sets along with Maoist literature in a 10-day operation against the outfit in Gumla, Lohardaga and Latehar Districts.

According to Dung Dung, nine companies of the CRPF, seven units of CoBRA, eight units of Jharkhand Jaguar, two units of Jharkhand Armed Police and District armed Police were involved in the operation.

Terming the operation very successful, Dung Dung said at a press conference on September 6, "We formed three teams which simultaneously launched the operations and recovered a large cache of explosives."

The Police recovered a cache of arms and ammunition, suspected to have been left behind by the cadres of the PLFI, a break away faction of the CPI-Maoist from under a culvert on Mandar-Narkopi road at Tanagarbasli village under Mandar block of Ranchi District.

The Centre set a January 2012 deadline for the State Government to utilise a whopping INR 7.7 billion which was allocated for building infrastructure in the 14 Naxal affected Districts of Jharkhand under the IAP.

Two troopers of the 'Jharkhand Jaguar' STF were seriously injured as an anti-landmine vehicle carrying five troopers from Ranchi to Khunti turned turtle on the Ranchi-Khunti Road in Khunti District of Jharkhand.

80 bags of ammonium-nitrate and 80 detonators, suspected to be meant for CPI-Maoist cadres for making land-mines, were seized in two separate incidents in the State.

The Raidih Police arrested a cadre of the PLFI, a breakaway faction of the CPI-Maoist, identified as Mahto Oran, in the border area of Jharkhand in Gumla District. The Raidih Police had inputs that the Naxals had assembled near the forest area adjoining to Kothatoli village. Oran was the associate of Mangal Nagesia, sub-zonal commander of the PLFI. The Police recovered a .12 bore country-made pistol along with associated cartridges from his possession.

In view of the ongoing fertilizer crisis being faced by the peasants of the State the PLFI gave a call for bandh in the three bordering Districts of Simdega, Gumla and Lohardaga. As a result of this, all Intra-State bus movements towards Ranchi and Inter-State movements across the border came to a stand-still.

Bokaro District administration is taking concrete steps to begin the construction of roads in and around the CPI-Maoist bastion by 2012. The road construction department has already sanctioned INR 110 million, the final cost estimate of constructing roads from the foothills of Rahawan till Jhumra.

Hundreds of students and teachers of a school in Jharkhand's Lohardaga District held a peaceful rally against Maoist insurgency.

The DC's of Jharkhand's 14 LWE affected Districts have welcomed Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's call to minimise corruption and adopt a development-oriented strategy to counter the clout enjoyed by the CPI-Maoist and other groups, Principal secretary in the rural works department, S.K. Satpathy said. The day before, the Prime Minister had asked the DCs to win the trust of the people and make them part of the development process.

The judicial remand of six CPI-Maoist cadres arrested has prompted the Ghaghidih Central Jail authorities in East Singhbhum to tighten security measures in the jail. As reported earlier, the six Maoists arrested from Chakulia block in Ghatshila sub-division of East Singhbhum District were sent to the central jail after being produced before the chief Judicial Magistrate on September 18.

Six suspected Maoists were arrested from Jobhi and Jamira village in Ghatsila sub-division of East Singhbhum District in. Among the arrested, Jamuna Singh alias Ila alias Jayanti, a resident of Patharchakri village under Belpahari Police Station of West Bengal, was allegedly involved in the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) MP (Sunil Mahto) murder case in Baguria in March 2007. Police also seized arms and ammunition from Jayanti.

Ranchi Deputy Commissioner K K Soan on visited six Naxalite LWE-affected villages in Bundu block of Ranchi District and reviewed implementation of the Government schemes while interacting with the villagers reports. Soan became one of the first Government officers to visit some of the villages in the last one decade. He walked over 20 kilometres with other Government officials.

The Police arrested a suspected woman Maoist and recovered a substantial quantity of explosives from her house at Katra village in Garhwa District. "Based on intelligence input that Maoist, Rukshana Khatun alias Soni Kumari alias Gudia had returned home, Police raided her house and arrested her," SP, S. Michael Raj said. The Police recovered 31 detonators, one kilogram of explosive material, two powerful batteries, a country-made pistol, three mobile sets and Maoist literature from her, he said.

A modernized Mine Protected Vehicle for India (MPV-I) was handed over to Jharkhand Police. ADGP, BB Pradhan received the anti-landmine vehicle of behalf of the State Police. The vehicle is the first out of six to be handed over to the State police. The vehicle is much better than the current anti-landmine vehicle being used by the Police.

The CPI-Maoist leadership "apologized" for the killing of Neyamat Ansari. The party's Bihar-Jharkhand-North Chhattisgarh-UP territory regional committee blamed the outfit's "lower-level committee" that served the death penalty order on Ansari, who hailed from Jerua village in Latehar district. Ansari and one Bhukhan Singh, who managed to escape, were working with development economist Jean Dreze and the Gram Swaraj Sanstha.

A huge cache of explosives and ammunition was seized from different hideouts of the CPI-Maoist in Lohardaga District. The recovery included an explosive weighing about 50 kilograms, two bombs weighing 30 and 20 kilograms, wiring for laying out mines and materials used for making bombs. A Maoist cadre was also arrested from one such hideout. The Police have been conducting operations for the past few days in the forest areas of the District.

The adviser to the Planning Commission, Indrani Chandrasekharan, visited various development projects, which had been initiated in CPI-Maoist-hit villages of Gumla District under the IAP. She later said, "We are happy to see various IAP and other projects in the District. If there is development, Maoist impact will diminish and people will be benefited."

The SFs in an operation codenamed Operation Up Hills neutralised a CPI-Maoist camp and seized two improvised explosive devices and two country-made rifles in Lohardaga and Gumla Districts.

A Naxal was killed and two others were injured in a gun-battle between two Naxal groups near Lopo village of Chatra District, Police said. The dead Naxal was identified as Mamta Ganju, Jharkhand Police spokesperson, R.K. Mallik said. The LWE outfits involved in the gunfight were TPC, and Nag group - a splinter group of JPC.

The Union Home Ministry has promised Jharkhand two Mi-17 helicopters and an additional CRPF battalion by mid-October. At present, the State has 15 battalions of CRPF, including two battalions of its special strike force, CoBRA.

CPI-Maoist cadres had never actually left Dalma hills despite the huge presence of Policemen and Paramilitary troopers there and aim to turn it into another Lalgarh.

Two CoBRA troopers were killed and four others were seriously injured in a CPI-Maoist ambush in Jhumra hills in Gomia block of Bokaro District. The dead have been identified as Praveen Kumar and Ram Singh, while the injured are Anish, Batajeet Mandal and Asit Mallick.

The Jharkhand security establishment is relieved at West Bengal Government's decision to intensify operations against Maoists. DGP, G. S. Rath, said it would lead to active participation of the Security Forces and better flow of intelligence in the fight against Maoists.

CoBRA and CRPF troopers escaped a landmine blast triggered by the CPI-Maoist near 'Dania' at Jhumra hillocks region in Gomia Police Station area in Bokaro District.

DGP, GS Rath visited Mosabani in East Singhbhum District to review the progress of the work of the proposed anti-terrorist training centre. Source said that the standard of proposed anti-terrorist training centre will be at par with that of the paramilitary training centre in Hyderabad and Haryana, where the Police personnel are trained how to cope up with the guerrilla war. About 500 police personnel will be given training in a batch.

CM, Arjun Munda ordered forming of a Primitive Tribal Battalion which will be sixth among the Indian Reserve Battalions formed by the State Government in the past.

The Police recovered 12 kilograms of explosive powder and other material during a search operation in a forest at Jalmandih under Rania Police Station area of Khunti District. Besides the explosive powder, 90 pieces of 9-volt batteries, 90 steel cans, two bundles of electric wire, 34 bullets and other items were recovered from, SP, Manoj Kaushik said.

Three CPI-Maoist cadres were arrested at Sonua in West Singhbhum District. The Maoist cadres, identified as Kisan Diggi, Karam Singh Diggi and Behra Diggi, were produced before the court of Sub-divisional Judicial Magistrate before being sent to jail, they said.

The Jhumra hills of Gomia block of Bokaro District continued to remain tense with SF launching a hunt for the bodies of Maoist cadres, suspected to have been killed in the gun-battle of September 27. SFs had claimed that at least six Maoists had been killed or injured in the counter-firing.

Suspected CPI-Maoist cadres killed a village headman in the interior Jojoda area, between Porahat and Saranda forests, under the Goeilkera Police Station limits of West Singhbhum District.

A Jharkhand Vikas Morcha-Prajatantric (JVM-P) leader was shot dead by Maoists in Khunti District. A group of Maoists dragged Naomi Mirdha out of his house at Gamaria village and took him to a distance before shooting him dead, SP Manoj Kaushik told reporters.

A civilian, Santosh Yadav was killed by CPI-Maoist cadres in Latehar District suspecting him to be an 'informer' of the TPC, the Police said.

The IAF will dispatch two of its Mi-17iv helicopters to the Jharkhand Government for logistic support in anti-Maoist operations being jointly conducted by Police and the CAPF. The Centre had promised to provide as many as 23 choppers to these States.

Two CPI-Maoist cadres, Rajendra Singh Bhokta and Lalji Yadav, were arrested by a Police team from Hazaribagh District following tip-off. Two firearms with cartridges, Maoist literature and medicines were recovered from them.

The 24-hour-long bandh called by the CPI-Maoist passed off peacefully in the State. The bandh was called in wake of alleged atrocities of Police on residents of Saranda forest in West Singhbhum District.

An 'area commander' of the PLFI, a breakaway faction of the CPI-Maoist, was arrested by Gumla District Police at his house in Salgi-Bhuriyatoli village of the District.

The rural development ministry has decided bridge the development deficit in 56 villages in the heart of the dense Saranda forest where SFs had conducted an operation to flush out Maoists.

The Maoist cadres have shown their opposition to any double-storey building being constructed in Palamu District, as it considers such a building can house a picket of SF to keep eyes on them.

Two suspected CPI-Maoist cadres were arrested and INR 180,000 seized from them in Garhwa District.

Dead bodies of a panchayat ward member and his wife, identified as Naresh Musi and Sarita Devi, were found near Korma village of Latehar District. Both were abducted by Maoists in the previous night. The Maoists had slit their throats.

CPI-Maoist cadres killed a person accusing him of being a 'Police informer' and disposed of the body at the adjacent Karampada in West Singhbhum District. Jharkhand Police recovered the body near a railway cabin, about 150 kilometers from Rourkela. Chaibasa SP Arun Kumar Singh said they are verifying the identity of the deceased. He is thought to be Suresh, a native of Karampada in West Singhbhum who had settled at Bandamunda near Rourkela in Odisha.

Three Maoist cadres were arrested and arms and ammunition recovered during a three-day 'Operation Thunder' against Maoists in Garhwa District by the Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh SF's. The Maoists were identified as Malluh Korva, Babita Devi and Milan Killah. "There was no encounter during the operation," Garhwa SP, Michael Raj and CRPF Commandant, R. K. Dagar told a news conference in Garhwa. A total of 6 kilograms of potassium nitrate and ammonium nitrate, three hand-grenades, 54 detonators, a gun, 126 cartridges, 625 rucksacks, 24 blankets, 17 gas cylinders, 10-metre wire and a trunk full of tracksuits and Maoist literature were recovered from the three rooms located in the forest.

Maoist 'commander', Kundan Pahan's girl-friend and the 'second-in-command' of the Maoist squad was arrested from Pithoria in Kanke tehsil of Ranchi District and a pistol and four bullets were seized from her. The arrest of Sushila alias Anju alias Kulwati alias Kulai Munda is considered crucial in recent times as it will unfold the mystery behind the loot of INR 55 million on May 21, 2008 from NH-33 under Tamar Police Station of Ranchi District and the killing of special branch inspector, Francis Induwar in 2009. Sushila was actively associated with CPI-Maoist for the past six years and was heading Bundu-Chandil sub-zone committee. She was looking after the four area committees in Ranchi, Saraikela and Khunti Districts and had reportedly confessed that she had participated in the loot of INR 55 million and the abduction and killing of Induwar.

Ranchi Police arrested three cadres of PLFI-a breakaway faction of the CPI-Maoist, identified as Pankaj Yadav, Vikash Yadav and Ram Dayal Yadav- at Khelari in Ranchi District and recovered two country-made pistols. During interrogation, Police found that Ram Dayal Yadav was also wanted in the killing of two engineers of proposed Abhijeet Power Plant at Latehar in March 2011. In Khunti, Police busted a PLFI camp at Bakashpur forest at Karra and arrested one John Tilmi and Falendra Badaik at Kamdara. Police recovered country-made rifle, 17 cartridges and other articles from the camp.

The State Government convinced the Union ministry for rural development to fund construction of around 6,500 kilometers of rural roads especially in Maoist-hit Districts. According to Sudesh Kumar Mahato, the Deputy Chief Minister, the State Government had proposal for construction of connecting roads for around 1,840 villages that don't have all-season roads under IAP.

The JSJMM 'chief', 'commander' Jahir Ansari alias Tufan, was arrested along with two of his associates, Seraj Ansari and Anis Ansari, by a joint Police team of Lohardaga, Kisko and Kuru blocks. Police seized cell-phones, CPI-Maoist literature, including receipts of levy collection, INR 8,000 in cash collected as levy, from the possession of the JSJMM. The SP, Jitendra Kumar Singh, presented the trio before forwarding them to judicial custody on October 19.

Police will drive out the cadres of the CPI-Maoist from the Jhumra hills range in Bokaro and Hazaribagh Districts after flushing them out from the Saranda forests in West Singhbhum, said DGP G S Rath. "After their successful operation in Saranda, Police will soon launch a similar drive in Jhumra Pahar region of Bokaro and Hazaribagh Districts, but for that Police requires the cooperation of local people," the Police chief said.

An elderly tribal man and his son, who went missing from home last week and may have been abducted by the CPI-Maoist cadres, were found dead in the Maoist-affected forests of Kuchai in Seraikela-Kharsawan District, 80 kilometres from Jamshedpur.

Three days after a Dhruv helicopter carrying BSF personnel crashed near Ranchi killing all three on board, the CPI-Maoist have claimed to have shot it down. In an SMS sent to the media, undersigned by the head of its South Chhotanagpur zonal committee head, Kundan Pahan, the Maoists have claimed responsibility for the incident. The message read: "Helicopter ko Maowadi Jan Mukti Chapamaar Sena ke veer jawanon ne maar giraya - Kundan Pahan [The helicopter was shot down by the brave soldiers of the People's Liberation Guerrilla Army".

Teams of Bokaro Police and the CRPF succeeded in flushing out three hard-core Maoists from their hideout at village Narra in Nawadih block.

CRPF commandant, R K Dagar said that the Maoists had raised a special battalion called 'Jan Militia'. Sanya village under Bhandarya block is one such place in the Palamu District where the Maoists have Jan Militia. Dagar said three such Jan Militia were arrested and jailed when very recently the CRPF and the local Police there raided the village and made huge recoveries including 10 land-mines.

A youth was beheaded by suspected PLFI cadres near Gindra More after he was abducted from Gindra village, 10 kilometers from the District headquarters of Gumla on October 25. The deceased was identified as Dhondha Mahto.

The Maoists organized a 'Jan Adalat' (Kangaroo court) in Palamu District and cut-off the right arm of a person accused of rape. The Maoist claimed they organized the 'Jan Adalat' on villager's request.

In a joint raid conducted by the Hazaribagh and the Chatra Police, a Maoist 'zonal commander', Ranjan Paswan alias Ajayjee was arrested from the dense forests of Jordag bordering Keredari (Hazaribag) and Tandwa (Chatra) with two firearms and about dozen live cartridges.

Four naxals were arrested with country-made pistol and cartridges by a special Police team, while collecting extortion money in Patratu in Ramgarh District. They belonged to Jharkhand Jan Mukti Sangharsh Morcha (JMSM), which is a faction of the TPC.

Akshaya, alias Vinod Singh, a sub-zonal 'commander' of CPI-Maoist who had masterminded the May 3 landmine blast that killed 11 Policemen, was arrested in Lohardaga District.

Maoists beheaded Sukharam Munda, a middle-aged man, in full public glare at Kamaria Village in Khunti District. Maoists claimed he was guilty of committing rape.

SF personnel recovered two IEDs near Gayjara and Tolsadih villages during a joint operation launched on the bordering areas of Ranchi and Khunti Districts.

The State forest department decided to survey the road network of Saranda forests in West Singhbhum District to lay the groundwork for a massive repair project in the uncharted territory that was under Maoist rule until recently.

Maoists killed three persons in separate incidents - beheading one, crushing another's head with a stone, and shooting dead a 'Police informer' - in Khunti District.

Chief Minister Arjun Munda said, a permanent solution to the Maoist problem was not possible without eliciting the tribals participation and bestowing them with economic share-holding in the use of mineral resources.

Jharkhand and the Centre gave final shape to a plan that aims to improve the lives of 36,000 people living in the Saranda forest of West Singhbhum District.

Police seized more than a thousand detonators and 10 bags of ammonium nitrate during raids in Hazaribagh District. Three persons were arrested in this connection.

A total of 65 bags of power gel used in making landmines were seized by SFs in Hazaribagh District. The explosives were in addition to more than 1000 detonators and ten bags of ammonium nitrate seized the previous night.

Maoists killed two villagers - Vijay Dhanwar (35) and Mahavir Mahto (38) - who used to collect levy on their behalf at Lailore village in Jeraikela Police Station area of Manoharpur block in West Singhbhum District. The Maoists suspected the duo of misappropriating money collected from villagers.

Director General of Police GS Rath said, "With anti-Naxal operations suspended in West Bengal, Maoists are taking refuge in the neighbouring State, as a result low quality arrests figures have come up compared to other quarters." According to the third quarterly crime figures released by Jharkhand Police for the period from July, 2011 to September 2011, five 'sub-zonal commander'-rank and three 'area commander'-rank Maoists have been arrested.

The Union Home Minister, P Chidambaram will visit the State on November 9 to make assessment of ongoing operations against Maoists.

Three Policemen were injured when CPI-Maoist cadres attacked their make-shift camp at Cone village in Latehar District.

Seven Security Force personnel, five of Jharkhand Jaguar and two of District Police, were injured when a school-turned-camp collapsed by a series of land-mine explosions triggered by the CPI-Maoist cadres at Kone village in Latehar District.

The Union Home Minister P Chidambaram termed some of the major anti-Maoist operations conducted in Jharkhand between June and October, 2011 as successful but expressed his concern over the "unacceptably high rate of casualty of SF's and civilians, which needed to be reduced".

Police arrested four cadres of the PLFI, a splinter group of the CPI-Maoist, in Burmu Police Station area in Ranchi District. The arrested cadres were identified as Mohar Ram alias Machhar, Maonj Mahto alias Prem, Harish Chandra Pahad and Kaleshwar Pahan. Police seized a .303 regular rifle, three 7.62 country-made rifles, a country-made katta (pistol), a country made 7.62 pistol, 56 rounds of .303 cartridges, 49 rounds of 7.62 cartridges and four 315 cartridges from their possession.

SFs arrested four CPI-Maoist cadres belonging to 'Madhya Zone', from Khemdra village under Chhatarpur Police Station in Palamu District. The four include two sub-zonal rank 'commanders' - Balkesh Yadav and Madan Ram - and 'area commanders' Heera Ram and Vishwanath. SFs also recovered two country-made rifles and over dozen cartridges from them. Ram is a veteran Maoist earlier associated with the MCC.

In a joint operation, SFs recovered around 403 powerful detonators from Bundu District. The explosives were placed in four sacks by the cadres of the CPI-Maoist.

At least half a dozen Maoist cadres from Kerala have been sent to Jharkhand for military training, raising security concern in the State. According to the sources, the cadres from Kerala will be inducted into the PLGA after undergoing military training.

A 'sub-zonal commander' of the CPI-Maoist, Chandanji, was shot dead at Uchhila More under Barwadih Police Station of Latehar District. In the note found at the incident site, Jharkhand Jan Mukti Parishad (JJMP), a splinter group of the CPI-Maoist, claimed responsibility for the killing, the Police said.

Cadres of the CPI-Maoist triggered a land-mine blast damaging a tractor carrying a generator set and water tank for CRPF personnel in Latehar. The tractor driver, Vinod Oraon, sustained injuries, sources said. Police spokesperson R. K. Mallick said, "The tractor was closely followed by a company of CRPF personnel. After the explosion, the personnel were engaged in an encounter with the rebels, who escaped taking advantage of the nearby dense forests. There was no casualty on either side. The driver is also safe."

The IG of North Chhotanagpur, Murari Lal Meena asked his subordinates to start combing operations in their respective zones to flush out Maoists ahead of the Mandu by-election on November 30.

SF personnel found explosives in Saranda forest before a survey in CPI-Maoist-hit villages to implement development schemes in West Singhbhum District. "Two boxes of gelatin sticks and boosters were found from Tirilposhi and two landmines weighing 20 kg each were found from Tirilposhi-Digha in Saranda forest in Maoist-hit Manoharpur police station," DIG Bhanu Pratap Singh said.

The Police arrested seven people for the killing of nun, Sister John Valsa at Pachuara village under Amrapara Police Station jurisdiction in Pakur District. The arrested persons were identified as Advin Murmu, Ranjan Marandi, Pradhan Hembram, Rakesh Turi, all hailing from Aloobera village, and Paisal Hembram, Prem Turi, Tala Hembram, all from Pachura village. Though they were responsible for thrashing and hacking Sister Valsa to death, the villagers claimed that the cadres of the CPI-Maoist were the main conspirators in the incident. A total of 30 armed Maoists escorted 15 villagers of Meral Tola, Aloobera and Pachuara villages to the house of Sonaram Hembram at Pachuara village on November 15 to kill Sister Valsa, where she was staying on rent. Among those arrested is Ranjan Marandi, with known links to Maoists. "The Maoists are trying to make inroads into Pakur to extort money from a mining company. The rebels, however, did not use firearms to kill her. They let the villagers do that so that they could convey a message that even an influential person like Valsa could be killed if Maoists did not approve of that person," said Dumka IG Arun Oraon.

A Maoist sympathiser, Raj Mohan Mahto was arrested from the Maoist-affected Chowka Police Station area in Saraikela-Kharswan District. He was arrested while conspiring to blow up a patrolling Police team of Chowka, said the officer-in-charge of the Police Station, Ram Awadh Singh.

Yogendra Oraon, a former CPI-Maoist leader who carried a reward of INR 300,000 on his head, was killed by the Police at Raidih in Gumla District. Oraon was a former 'sub-zonal commander' of the CPI-Maoist.

Two CPI-Maoist cadres, Gulshan Ganjhu alias Govind and Choti Thakur, were arrested along with arms and Maoist literature in Churchu and Bishnugarh areas of Hazaribagh District.

Police arrested a former cadre of the JPC, a splinter group of the CPI-Maoist, who had opened an illegal factory to manufacture country-made revolvers and firearms, from his hideout at Kariyatpur in Hazaribagh District.

The CPI-Maoist cadres killed two brothers, Kodai Kera and Kot Kera, in West Singhbhum District, suspecting them to be Police informers. Their bodies were found on the main street connecting Chakradharpur to Sonua block. The two were residents of Chakradharpur village.

The Police Officers in Jharkhand see senior CPI-Maoist leader, Kishanji's death as an opportunity for Jharkhand to launch an immediate operation to seize control of areas in East Singhbhum District bordering Bengal. State Police spokesman, R.K. Mallick said, "Prashant Bose, alias Kishan Da, who happens to be the No 2 in the organisation continues to be our main challenge."

Following the death of top CPI-Maoist Politburo member, Koteswara Rao alias Kishanji in West Bengal, more than 500 Police and CRPF personnel along with the District Police have launched an anti-Maoist operation with an aim of flushing out the Maoists hiding in Gomia, Jhumra, Nawadih, Parasnath, Madhuban and Vishnugarh areas of the State.

The CPI-Maoist set ablaze the machinery of a contractor at Sarnadih of Latehar District, as he refused to pay money to the banned outfit.

A total of 5000 detonators were recovered and four persons were arrested in this connection from Jogia Pahari in Giridih District. Police suspect the four persons of supplying detonators to the CPI-Maoist.

The 24-hour State-wide bandh called by JRC of CPI-Maoist in protest against the killing of Maoist leader Mallujola Koteswara Rao alias Kishanji evoked mixed response in the State. Markets and normal life in rural areas was disrupted while coal loading work was disrupted in Latehar, Ranchi, Ramgarh, Hazaribagh, Chatra and bauxite loading work was hampered in Lohardaga District. Rural markets in Khunti, Gumla, Simdega, Palamu, Ranchi, Bokaro, Giridih and other District remained closed.

Three permanent joint camps have been set up by the CRPF and Police in the CPI-Maoist strong-holds of Koney, Orya and Saryu in Latehar District.

CPI-Maoist cadres killed Partho Mishra (30), a PLFI supporter at Kenbanki village in the Karkel area of Khunti District. Khunti SP M. Tamilvanan said preliminary investigations suggested the killing was a result of rivalry between LWE organisations.

Five cadres, including two 'area commanders' of the PLFI, a breakaway faction of the CPI-Maoist, were arrested from a couple of places of Gumla District.

It has been sixteen days since, Adheen Prajapati, a villager of Semari village in Palamu District got abducted by the CPI-Maoist cadres. The Prajapati's wife told the media persons that a group of about 20-25 Maoists arrived in their village around midnight and barged into their house and took away her husband. She also added the Maoists made a monetary demand of INR 3 million.

Visiting Chotanagra panchayat in West Singhbhum District, Union Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh admitted lapses of the past but made it clear that the implementation of the development plan in Saranda forest area would be keenly monitored by the Centre so that it could be a model for other forest regions that had turned CPI-Maoist hubs in Jharkhand and States like Chhattisgarh, Odisha, West Bengal and Andhra Pradesh.

11 persons, including 10 Policemen, were killed when CPI-Maoist cadres attacked the convoy of MP and former Jharkhand Speaker Inder Singh Namdhari, in Latehar District.

The Maoists claimed the responsibility of ambushing the convoy of Namdhari. Spokesperson for the Koyal-Shankh Zonal Committee of the CPI-Maoist Sudhir told reporters from an undisclosed location that the attack was intentional but they had no plans to target Namdhari.

The Maoists began their two-day Bharat bandh by blowing up railway tracks in two Districts. In the first incident, a group of Maoists used an IED to blow up a stretch of tracks between Gomia and Dumri railway stations of the East Central Railway in Bokaro District. In the second incident, another group of Maoists blasted tracks between Hehegara and Chhipadohar railway stations in Latehar District.

The Maoists attacked Saradih Police picket in Nawadih Police Station in Palamu District, triggering a gun battle that lasted for about 30 minutes before the attackers retreated under heavy retaliation by the SF. However, there was no loss of life on any side in the attack.

A joint team of Police and paramilitary forces stumbled upon a 7.5kilogram IED that had been planted under a bridge near Kewat Tola on the Panem Link Road during a search operation in Amrapara Police Station area in Pakur District.

The CPI-Maoist cadres triggered a landmine blast inside the Block Development Office at Harhargunj in Palamu District, during the two-day Bharat bandh called to protest against the killing of Maoist leader Mallujola Koteswara Rao alias Kishanji by the Security Forces in West Bengal. Although there was no casualty, the single-storey building housing the BDO's office was destroyed.

The cadres of the CPI-Maoist attacked and fired indiscriminately at the Hariharganj Police Station in Palamau District, around 170 kilometres from State capital Ranchi. Around 400 Maoists had attacked the Police Station and a gun battle ensued that lasted for over two hours, the Police said. There were no casualties from either side.

The Maoists blew up a school building at Bhardaria village in Garhwa District, the second day of the Bharat bandh called by the CPI-Maoist in the State. A group of armed Maoists stuffed IED inside a room of a middle school in the village and triggered the blast, damaging a large portion of the structure, SP Michael S Raj said.

Two mobile towers belonging to a private company was blown up in Haidar Nagar and Hussainabad blocks in Palamu District. Only after a guitar bomb was triggered by the Police, the situation could be brought under control. No casualties were reported in the incident.

The Police found posters calling for mass support to the bandh suspected to be put up by Maoists in Galudih in East Singhbhum District. The posters urging the people to support the bandh were found pasted in the Subash Chowk area in Galudih.

Two cadres of the PLFI, a break away faction of the CPI-Maoist, were lynched by the people of Ludgo village in the District. The villagers snatched the rifle and pistol from the PLFI cadres and handed them over to the Police. The PLFI cadres had reportedly gone to extort money from the villagers.

A group of 15 suspected CPI-Maoist cadres attacked workers at a road construction site and set ablaze their cycles at Bataloka village under Patamda Police Station in East Singhbhum District. At least three workers were severely injured in the Maoist attack. Work on the road project, being conducted under PMGSY, has been suspended after the attack.

One person was arrested on charges of plotting to attack the convoy of Jharkhand Chief Minister Arjun Munda during his visit to Lohardaga. "Lal Guddunath Sahadeo was arrested, and interrogation was on," SP Jitendra Kumar Singh said.

Indian cricket captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni has been given extra Police security following suspected threats to the cricketer from Maoists and terrorists. According to an unnamed Police official, the security has been beefed up following intelligence inputs. The department is taking appropriate measures to protect the cricketer, the official said.

A woman, Akli Devi, and a seven-year-old boy Kisna Bhora were killed in cross fire when a contractor, Udasan Nag, opened retaliatory fire at CPI-Maoist cadres who fired at him near a petrol pump at Tirra village in Gumla District.

Chief Minister Arjun Munda admitted a rise in LWE violence in Palamu division but added that the Garu incident in which 10 Policemen and a boy were killed should not be politicized.

The death toll in the December 3 CPI-Maoist attack on independent MP Inder Singh Namdhari in Latehar District increased to 12 as another critically injured trooper, identified as Prem Toppo, succumbed to his injuries.

The Police arrested a CPI-Maoist cadre, identified as Manoj Lohra (22), wanted in six cases of attacks, from Sindri village under Karra Police Station area of Khunti District.

In a joint operation with the CRPF's CoBRA, the State Police arrested two cadres of the PLFI, a breakaway faction of the CPI-Maoist, in Banrago village in Karra in the District. The arrestees were identified as 'area commander' Barnawas Bakhla (28) and his aide Tahsulang Munda (19). The Police also recovered two 9-mm pistols along with nine rounds from the duo.

A group of 50-odd CPI-Maoist cadres blew up an under-construction bridge at Patna village under Manika Police Station area of Latehar District, around 8pm. Sources said INR 10 million had been sanctioned for building the 50 metre bridge.

Local residents of Chandwa claimed that Maoists took away two firearms and 42 rounds of ammunition from security guards posted at the gate of the 2,000MW power plant under-construction power plant in the District. "The rebels took away two double-barrel guns. We heard that around 25 rebels struck in the wee hours of Wednesday and abducted three security guards. The guards, who were taken to a nearby forest, were released this morning only after they surrendered their arms," a resident said.

In Manika, local residents discovered Maoists posters, which threatened Abhijeet and Essar groups with dire consequences if the interest of locals was overlooked while hiring staff in the District. The Maoists posters were found in two places. "While one poster was noticed on a wall at Dharampur Chowk, about 200m from the town police station, another poster was found near Panchpheri Chowk, about 100m from Manika police station. However, other reports that the posters were that of TPC, a breakaway faction of the CPI-Maoist.

Jharkhand High Court acquitted the death sentence of four alleged CPI-Maoist cadres for opening fire on spectators of football match in Giridih on October 2007 in which former Chief Minister Babulal Marandi's son and 18 others were killed. A division bench of justices R K Merathia and P P Bhatt heard the appeals filed by the accused and gave them the "benefit of doubt", citing "lack of evidence" on the part of the prosecution to confirm the death sentence awarded by Giridih sessions judge on June 22.

Five landmines -- four landmines of five kilograms each and one weighing 10 kilogram -- suspected to be kept in two sacks by the cadres of the CPI-Maoist were recovered from Ramgarh District. According to the Police, the two sacks were found by villagers on a farm at Bhadgao village of Ramgarh, around 60 kilometres from Ranchi.

A large number of armed Maoists from three States of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Jharkhand are reported to be camping in forests bordering Nagar Untari, Bhawnathpur and Manjhiaon areas in Garhwa District for the past 10 days. The Maoists numbering over 150 are planning a major offensive. Garhwa SP Michael Raj S said that SFs were trying to ascertain the presence of the Maoists in suspected areas and were keeping a watch on their activities.

The SFs arrested seven cadres of the PLFI, a splinter group of the CPI-Maoist, from Booth village in Khunti District. During interrogation, three of them even admitted to their involvement in the murder of businessman Munir Ansari (40), Khunti SP Venu Tamilvanan said. All the seven PLFI cadres were trusted lieutenants of Lakhan Pahan, the Police said. The Police recovered four motorcycles, six cartridges, one revolver and a pistol from their possession.

The CPI-Maoist cadres and CRPF personnel were engaged in an hour-long encounter at Porahat forest in Bandhgaon in West Singhbhum District. The gun battle ensued when the Maoists opened fire on a 300-strong paramilitary unit combing the forest. No CRPF casualty was reported, but it could not be confirmed if any Maoists were killed in the operation. According to West Singhbhum SP Arun Kumar Singh, the anti-insurgency operation had begun from Tuesday morning [December 20].

Suspected Maoists set ablaze equipment used for road construction work at Chitra in Palamu District. The Police said a group of Maoists arrived at the road construction site and set ablaze heavy machinery, used in road construction work, DSP Girish Pandey said. He said the equipment belonged to a contractor's firm engaged in the work.

A CoBRA trooper was killed and another was injured in a gun battle with the CPI-Maoist cadres at Porahat forest under Sonua Police Station area in West Singhbhum District. The deceased trooper, Sukhdev Singh (32), who sustained a bullet injury in his waist, succumbed to his injuries as he could not be airlifted for treatment because of darkness. The counter-insurgency operation, being conducted jointly with the CRPF, between Bandu and Pandua villages in the bordering Sonua and Khuti areas of Porahat block in West Singhbhum also left about six Maoists seriously injured in the gun battle, the Police said.

A young boy was killed by the CPI-Maoist cadres in Palamu District. The young boy was shot dead by the Maoists while travelling to his grandparent's village with his grandfather in a local bus.

Following assurances of tighter security for trains passing through Maoist affected areas in States like Jharkhand, Odisha and West Bengal, Indian Railways lifted the ban on night travel in two out of three sections. Sources said the two sections where the night ban on movement of trains, imposed May 2010, has been lifted are Kharagpur-Adra and Chakradharpur-Rourkela. However, the ban continues in the Kharagpur-Tata section and is likely to be lifted soon, Railways sources said.

The CPI-Maoist cadres set ablaze valuable equipment engaged in road construction work and assaulted two employees of the contractor before setting them free with a warning at Tehla village in Garwah District. A group of the Maoists arrived at the spot in the wee hours and assaulted two assistants of the contractor's firm before they poured petroleum product on a JCB machines and set it on fire, the Police sources said.

Suspected CPI-Maoist cadres killed a postmaster in Giridih District. Two-motorcycle borne gunmen fired three shots at Lal Bihari Yadav, the post master of Boria Dak Ghar, at Deori killing him on the spot, the Police said.

The Maoists pasted posters warning villagers to abide by their (Maoist's) law in Ramgarh District. According to the villagers, a group of Maoists entered the village and pasted posters on houses and buildings.

Constant pressure from CPI-Maoist and "frequent humiliation" by Police have driven as many as 40 women of Jhumra villages, including some elderly, to the door of Gomia MLA Madhowlal Singh with the plea to resettle them along with their families elsewhere. The women belonged to the hamlets of Beltharwa, Aman, Suarkatwa and Simrabera - located within a 5sqkm periphery of Jhumra hillocks in Bokaro District.

The CPI-Maoist cadres killed a social activist named Pradeep Prasad while he was on his way back home in Latehar District. The Maoists took full responsibility of the killing as they suspected him of being a Police informer. "We don't have full knowledge about the incident but we have received a letter which is written by Maoists. He used to do farming and was a social activist," said Raju Prasad, a relative of the victim.