Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], September 20 (ANI): A large quantity of arms and ammunition, including two pistols and a carbine, was recovered from slain Naxalite commander Gopal Singh Bhokta alias Brijesh Ganjhu after an encounter with the Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) on Sunday morning, ADG Law and Order Amitabh Yash said.
Ganjhu, a commander of the banned Naxalite organisation ‘Tritiya Prastuti Committee’ (TPC) and a resident of Chatra, Jharkhand, was killed in an encounter with the ATS in Varanasi, according to the Uttar Pradesh Police.
Speaking to ANI about the incident, Additional Director General of Police (ADG) Law and Order Amitabh Yash said, “A large quantity of arms and ammunition was recovered from his possession, including two pistols and a carbine. He was facing around 50 criminal cases—two of which were investigated by the National Investigation Agency (NIA)—and carried a combined bounty of Rs 30 lakh.”
“This Naxalite was notorious for the large-scale killing of civilians and police personnel; his elimination effectively signals the end of the ‘Tritiya Prastuti Committee,’ and a search for his associates is now underway,” he added.
According to police, Ganjhu was the chief of the banned Jharkhand-based outfit TPC and was wanted by the NIA in connection with a terror-funding case.
The encounter took place in the early hours of Sunday when Ganjhu, along with an associate, was travelling on a motorcycle from Tengra Mor towards Mughalsarai via Ramnagar in Varanasi, according to UP ATS Deputy Superintendent of Police (DySP) Vipin Rai.
“Acting on an informant’s tip-off, police attempted to intercept and arrest him. Instead of stopping, he jumped off the vehicle and opened fire on the police personnel. In the ensuing crossfire, he was shot,” Rai said.
The incident took place in the Lanka Maidan area under Ramnagar police station limits, police said. During the exchange of fire, bullets fired by Ganjhu hit the bulletproof jackets of UP ATS Deputy SP Vipin Rai and Head Constable Nitendra Krishna. Both officers remained safe, officials added.
Deputy SP Rai said Ganjhu was immediately rushed to a hospital after sustaining injuries, where doctors declared him dead.
“The UP team had been searching for this Naxalite — a member of a banned organisation — for quite some time. Upon receiving information from an informant about his arrival during the night, the STF laid a trap and attempted to apprehend Brijesh Ganjhu. However, he tried to flee and opened fire on the police team. He was wounded in the ensuing retaliatory action and was taken to the hospital, where doctors declared him dead,” Deputy SP Rai said.
Jharkhand Police also confirmed the operation. “We have received information from the IG (STF) that Brijesh Ganjhu, alias Gopal Singh, was neutralised in an encounter in Varanasi this morning,” Narendra Singh, IG (Operations) and Jharkhand Police Spokesperson, said.
Police said a reward of Rs 25 lakh had been announced by the Jharkhand government and Rs 5 lakh by the NIA for information leading to Ganjhu’s arrest. (ANI)
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