Security forces kill 4 Maoists including Sahdeo Mahto in Jharkhand
India
Security forces carried out a big operation in Jharkhand's Khapia forest on Friday, ending with four Maoists killed after a 30-minute gunfight.
The squad was led by Sahdeo Mahto, a senior commander who had been on the run since escaping jail in 2011.
Local police teamed up with elite CoBRA commandos for the mission, which kicked off when the Maoists opened fire around 2pm.
Security forces recover multiple rifles
Among those killed were Mahto himself, his wife Natasha (a special zonal committee member), and area commanders Budhan Karmali and Ranjeet Ganjhu.
The team also recovered some serious firepower at the site: two AK-series rifles, an AR-15, and an INSAS rifle.
This operation is being seen as a strong step by security forces to curb left-wing extremism in the region.