In a major success for security forces in Jharkhand, two top leaders of the outlawed Jharkhand Jan Mukti Parishad (JJMP) — Pappu Lohra and Prabhat Ganjhu — were killed in an encounter in Latehar district on Saturday.
Sources told PTI that the encounter also led to the arrest of another member of the group who was injured during the operation. An INSAS rifle was recovered from him. Both Lohra and Ganjhu were considered among the most wanted leaders of the JJMP, a splinter Naxalite outfit, with Lohra carrying a bounty of ₹10 lakh and Ganjhu ₹5 lakh.
According to ANI, the encounter occurred during a search operation conducted by Jharkhand Police in the Latehar police station area. Amol Vinukant Homkar, IG Operations of Jharkhand Police, described the development as a significant milestone in the ongoing crackdown on Naxal activities in the region.
“It’s a big day for all the security forces working in Jharkhand to eliminate Naxalism. JJMP Naxal group — along with its Supremo Pappu Lohra — were gathered in Latehar PS area for inducing violence,” IG Homkar told ANI.
“A police team was in a search operation in the forest area when the Naxal group opened fire — the police retaliated, and the encounter went on for a long time. Police later searched the area, where two bodies were recovered and another Naxal was injured,” he added.
He confirmed the identities of the deceased as Pappu Lohra, the chief of JJMP who had a ₹10 lakh reward on his head, and Prabhat Ganjhu, the group’s zonal commander, who carried a ₹5 lakh bounty. Arms and ammunition were also recovered from the site.
Naxalism Is Breathing Its Last In Entire Nation: MoS Defence
Minister of State for Defence, Sanjay Seth, also commented on the incident. Speaking to ANI, he said, “An encounter with Naxalites began at 6 am in the rural areas of Latehar. Pappu Lohra and another Naxalite have been killed in the encounter. Pappu Lohra had a reward of ₹10 lakh on him. One police jawan, Awadh Singh, has been injured, but he is completely out of danger.”
“Naxalism is breathing its last in the entire nation. As per the resolution of Home Minister Amit Shah, the nation will soon be free from Naxalism,” he added.
Separately, in neighbouring Chhattisgarh, Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai praised the killing of Naxal leader Basava Raju and the elimination of 27 Naxals during an operation in the Abujhmad forest of Narayanpur district on 21 May.
“Our jawans are continuously fighting Naxalism and being successful in their operations. This operation that took place in the Abujmarh area of Narayanpur has been the biggest one so far. Our jawans have been extremely successful. Our jawans neutralised the General Secretary of Maoists, Basavaraju, and it is a big blow to the Naxals,” CM Sai said to ANI.
He further stated that Naxalism has lost its backbone, and reiterated the government’s commitment to eliminate Naxalism from the entire country by 31 March 2026, in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah’s vision.
