Deputy commandant killed in encounter in Latehar

A deputy commandant rank officer died after he was injured in an encounter with suspected members of JJMP, a splinter group of CPI (Maoists), in Jharkhand’s Latehar district on Tuesday. One member of JJMP was also killed in the exchange of fire, officials said.

Deceased Rajesh Kumar, the deputy commandant with Border Security Force, was injured in an exchange of fire with the outlawed ultras in Salaiya area under Sadar police station in Latehar district, sources said.

“The officer was airlifted from the encounter site and taken to a private hospital in Ranchi where he was declared brought dead,” a senior official said.

Kumar hails from Bihar. Officials said he was leading the team when they came across the group of ultras. Seeing the security forces, the ultras opened fire. One was killed while others managed to escape, a source said.

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