Top Maoist Commander with ₹1 Crore Bounty Killed in Jharkhand
Security forces in Jharkhand's Hazaribag district killed three senior Maoists in a gunfight, including Central Committee member Sahdev Soren, who carried a bounty of ₹1 crore. The encounter took place in the Pantitri forest early Monday morning. The other two slain commanders were Raghunath Hembram and Birsen Ganjhu, carrying rewards of ₹25 lakh and ₹10 lakh, respectively. This operation is being hailed as a major success in India's anti-Maoist efforts, neutralizing a key figure in the banned CPI (Maoist) organization.
Unpacked:
Sahdev Soren was a Central Committee member of the CPI (Maoist), making him one of the organization’s top leaders. He was considered significant due to his high rank, involvement in major operations, and the ₹1 crore bounty on his head, reflecting his influence and the threat he posed to security forces.
The Maoist insurgency, also called the Naxalite movement, began in 1967 as a peasant uprising inspired by Maoist ideology. At its peak in the mid-2000s, it controlled nearly a third of India with up to 20,000 fighters. The conflict has led to over 12,000 deaths and remains a central internal security challenge for India.
Recent intensified operations, especially across the ‘Red Corridor,’ have resulted in the deaths of hundreds of rebels, including senior leaders. These actions have considerably weakened the Maoist insurgency’s operational capabilities and territorial control, though scattered resistance and violence continue.
CoBRA (Commando Battalion for Resolute Action) is a specialized unit of India’s CRPF trained for guerrilla and jungle warfare. Their main role is to conduct search-and-destroy missions, gather intelligence, and neutralize high-value Maoist leaders as part of coordinated anti-insurgency operations.