Security forces recover pistol after encounter with extremist group in Jharkhand

Chatra (Jharkhand), Jul 7 (PTI) Security forces recovered a pistol and bullets following an encounter with a banned extremist group in Jharkhand’s Chatra district on Friday, police said.

The encounter took place between security forces and a squad headed by Tritiya Sammelan Prastuti Committee’s (TSPC) regional commander Akraman Ganju alias Ravindra Ganju, who carries a bounty of Rs 15 lakh on his head, SP Rakesh Ranjan said.

Acting on a tip-off on Thursday that TSPC activists were up to something, a joint team of Jharkhand Jaguar and district armed police rushed to Angada jungle, bordering Palamu district, to launch a search operation, SP said.

The SP said as soon as security forces reached the spot on Friday morning, the ultras started firing at them, forcing police to retaliate.

The ultras made a hasty retreat under mounting pressure from police, he said, adding that a search operation was launched to track the extremists.

Later, during a search operation, security personnel recovered a Czech pistol, 25 live cartridges, two magazines and three mobile phones, SP said.

The SP asked the Naxals to shun violence and return to the mainstream of society by taking advantage of Jharkhand government’s surrender and rehalitation policy.