Jharkhand Police Arrest Seven Naxals in Khunti, Area Commander Shravan Das Injured in Encounter

In a significant development for India's internal security and ongoing anti Naxal operations, Jharkhand Police arrested seven operatives of the banned People's Liberation Front of India (PLFI) , including area commander Shravan Das , during a coordinated operation in Khunti district. The action is being viewed as a major setback to PLFI activities in the region, where security agencies have intensified efforts to dismantle extortion and armed networks.

Acting on intelligence inputs, police apprehended Das and six associates in the Jariyagarh area on Saturday night and recovered two firearms. During interrogation, Das allegedly revealed the location of additional weapons hidden in Tilmi forest and accompanied security personnel to the site on Sunday morning.

According to Khunti Superintendent of Police Rishabha Garg, the situation escalated when Das allegedly snatched the pistol of a police officer and opened fire on the security team. Police retaliated, injuring him in the exchange. He was subsequently shifted to Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS), Ranchi , for treatment and remains under police custody. No security personnel were reported injured.

Security forces later recovered four firearms, around 30 cartridges, important PLFI documents and operational materials. Investigators believe the group was preparing to carry out a major incident in the region. Officials described Das as a key PLFI operative active in the Karra belt and linked him to recent firing incidents, including an attack on a railway construction site in Torpa, as well as extortion and intimidation cases across Khunti district.

A large-scale search operation continues in the forest area to locate additional arms caches and possible associates. The arrests come amid an intensified crackdown on PLFI networks across Jharkhand, reflecting the government's broader push to curb Left Wing Extremism and strengthen security in affected regions.