In a major breakthrough for security forces, three Maoists, including top leader Sahdev Soren who carried a ₹1 crore bounty on his head, were killed in an early morning encounter in Jharkhand’s Hazaribag district on Monday.
The gunfight erupted around 6 am in the Pantitri forest under Gorhar police station limits during an operation against the squad led by Soren of the banned CPI (Maoist). Security personnel engaged in a fierce exchange of fire before neutralizing the ultras.
Police officials confirmed that the bodies of Soren and two other Maoists were recovered during the subsequent search operation, which remains underway to flush out any remaining cadres.
