Maoists kill 62-year-old amidst rising menace in Jharkhand’s West Singhbhum
This marks the 11th civilian killed in Maoist-related violence in the past ten months in the hilly-forested terrain within Saranda and Kokhan reserve forests in the district, officials added.
Naxalites from the banned CPI (Maoist) allegedly killed a 62-year-old villager, accusing him of being a “police informer”, near Gitilata Chowk in the West Singhbhum district of Jharkhand late Saturday night, officials familiar with the matter said on Sunday.
This marks the 11th civilian killed in Maoist-related violence in the past ten months in the hilly-forested terrain within Saranda and Kokhan reserve forests in the district, officials added.
“A group of Naxalites killed 62-year-old Rando Surin in the jungles near Lobabera late last night by slitting his throat. They have labelled him as a ‘police informer,’ but the deceased had no affiliation with the police. A police team has rushed to the scene this morning,” said Ashutosh Shekhar, the Singhbhum superintendent of police (SP) Sunday morning.
Officials said Rando Surin was a resident of Harinaurh tollah in Kadamdiha village and the elder brother of Dorsena During, the deputy mukhiya of Kadamdiha panchayat.
According to villagers, Rando was dragged out by the Maoists around 8.30 pm on Saturday, and later his body was discarded on the main road near Gitilata Chowk.
The naxalites also left a poster near his body, warning that this would be the fate of people who work as “police informers and special police officers (SPOs)”.
The poster read, “Engage in labour, farming, agriculture, etc., but do not collaborate as SPOs or informers. If such individuals surrender to us, we will pardon them.”
The ongoing conflict between the Maoists and security forces has proven deadly for impoverished villagers and police personnel.
According to police records, ten villagers have been killed in IED blasts, and six have been seriously injured since November 20, 2022, in the Kokhan jungles.
On the other hand, three CRPF and Jharkhand Jaguar personnel - Sushant Kunthia (August 11, 2023), Amit Tiwari, and Gautam Kumar (August 14, 2023) - have been killed, and 26 jawans have been injured in Maoist firing or IED blasts orchestrated by the Maoist extremists in the past ten months, the data said.
“The Maoists speak of fighting to highlight and support the issues of the poor, downtrodden and marginalized. However, in reality, they are killing innocent villagers. They have planted IEDs and set up traps throughout the jungles, resulting in the deaths of villagers who are often unaware and die in IED blasts while going about their daily routines. Many jawans have also been injured. We have recovered 225 Maoist IEDs, including directional ones, since November of last year,” stated superintendent of police (SP) Ashutosh Shekhar to HT.
The police have been conducting joint operations against the naxalites led by top Maoist leaders Misir Besra, Asim Mondal alias Akash, and Patiram Majhi alias Anal-da (all carrying a reward of ₹1 crore each on their heads) in the Kokhan jungles, now referred to as the Maoist regional headquarters.
The tri-junction of West Singhbhum, Seraikela-Kharsawan, and Khunti districts gives them a strategic advantage to move between districts when under attack or after executing ambushes on security forces.