Ranchi: 5 PLFI members killed in encounter on Khunti-Chaibasa border

RANCHI: In a major blow to extremists, a team comprising state police and CoBRA battalion killed five Peoples Liberation Front of India (PLFI) members in a fierce encounter on the Khunti-Chaibasa borders in Jharkhand at around 6.30am on Tuesday.
Police have recovered five dead bodies of extremists along with two AK-47 rifles, two AKM rifles, 303 rifles and pistol each and three country-made pistols from the site.Police have also nabbed two extremists from the area.
After the encounter, Union home minister Rajnath Singh called up the Jharkhand DGP DK Pandey to congratulate the state police and the CRPF on the success, highly placed source said.
CRPF IG Sanjay Lathekar said, “The operation was launched by Khunti police on specific information about the presence of squad led by Prabhu Sahay Bodra and Deet Nag. The police team had a two-hour encounter with the PLFI group in which five extremists were killed. We feel several other ultras also sustained bullet injuries, but they have fled away. Police are carrying out search operation in the area.
The CRPF IG Ashish Batra added there is strong possibility that among the killed ultra is PLFI area commander Prabhu Sahay Bodra. He added the fact would be ascertained only after the relatives identify the body of Bodra. It may be stated here that state government had announced a reward of Rs two lakh on his head.
The achievement came on a day when the chief election commissioner is scheduled to arrive in state and hold meeting with senior police officials on law and order and extremists situation in state in view of the upcoming general elections.