Operation Megaburu: 19 Maoists, including top leader, killed in Jharkhand
Security forces scored a major win in Jharkhand's Saranda forest, taking down 19 Maoists—including top leader Patiram Manjhi, known as Anal Da—during Operation Megaburu.
Anal Da had a ₹2.35 crore bounty and was wanted for deadly attacks on security personnel.
The operation also resulted in the deaths of five women Maoists.
How the operation unfolded
About 1,500 CRPF CoBRA commandos launched the assault early on January 22, using helicopters, night-vision drones, and satellite tracking to find Maoist hideouts in thick forest.
The gunfight lasted several hours and bodies were scattered over a radius of nearly two kilometers, making recovery tough.
Officials say this is the biggest single blow to Maoists in Jharkhand so far—leaving only around 60-65 Maoists in the state.