Three women Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) cadres were killed in an encounter between Maoists and Security Forces (SFs) at Chirung village under Gudri Police Station area in West Singhbhum District of Jharkhand on April 4, reports The Pioneer. West Singhbhum Superintendent of Police (SP), Indrajeet Mahatha said, "During the operation there were jawans (troopers) of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF)'s 170 and 60 battalions posted in West Singhbhum and 94 battalion from the adjoining Khunti district beside the district police jawans. The personnel rushed to the Chirung village by maintaining social distancing and encircled the village where about 25 rebels were holding meeting with the villagers. But as the police and para-military forces reached, the rebels started firing at the troops. After an initial exchange of fire from both the sides for about an hour, the naxals [Left Wing Extremists, LWEs] started backtracking and finally fled the scene." After the rebels fled the scene, the SFs carried out a search operation and found the bullet-ridden bodies of three women Maoists, beside those bodies were lying three rifles. "During the search, we found over 500 rounds of bullets, arrow bombs, two IEDs (Improvised Explosive Devices), medicines, naxal literature from the scene, suggesting that the rebels belonging to Suresh Munda squad of the CPI-Maoist were at the Chirung village for motivating the villagers for joining the naxalism," SP, Mahatha pointed out. Intelligence sources maintained that the Naxals have once again started influencing the local residents to come to the fold of the naxalism, said a senior intelligence officer. He said the rebels are targeting areas in Sonua, Goelkera and Porahat region of West Singhbhum.
In another incident, a group of CPI-Maoist cadres detonated an IED near a house in Dholabani village in West Singhbhum District of Jharkhand on April 4, reports The Pioneer. Seeing security personnel, the Maoists fled, however, before escaping to nearby forests, the Maoists shot at a friend of the owner of the house near which the IED exploded. Three motorcycles parked near the house were gutted after they caught fire due to the blast, Police said.
Meanwhile, the CPI-Maoist cadres assaulted a villager, identified as Raju Prasad Mahto after branding him as ‘police informer’ at a forested area of Chute Panchayat (village level local self-Government institution)in Bokaro District of Jharkhand on the intervening night of March 9 and 10, reports The Pioneer. As per the report, the Maoists dragged Mahto from his house and produced him in the Kangaroo court held inside the forest and assaulted him alleging that he was a ‘police informer’. Further, the Maoists warned him of dire consequences if he cooperates with the Police and pass any information about them, and also ordered Mahto to move out of his home and village.