Jharkhand-based Naxal commander Brijesh Ganjhu alias Gopal Singh Bhokta, who carried a combined bounty of ₹30 lakh, was killed in an encounter with the Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) and police in Varanasi on Sunday, according to officials.
DON'T MISS
Ganjhu, a resident of Chatra district in Jharkhand, was identified by police as a commander of the banned Tritiya Prastuti Committee (TPC). He was reportedly wanted in nearly 50 criminal cases, including cases being investigated by the National Investigation Agency (NIA).
₹30 Lakh Reward on Brijesh Ganjhu: Jharkhand
The combined reward on Ganjhu included ₹25 lakh announced by the Jharkhand government and another ₹5 lakh offered by the NIA, according to officials.
The accused had been under the radar of security agencies for his alleged involvement in Naxal-related activities and other criminal cases. Uttar Pradesh police officials said he was among the wanted members of the TPC network.
Encounter Took Place in Varanasi’s Ramnagar
According to the police version, an ATS team received information about Ganjhu’s presence in the Ramnagar area of Varanasi on Sunday morning.
Police said Ganjhu was travelling towards Mughalsarai on a motorcycle when the team attempted to intercept him. Officials alleged that he opened fire at the police team and tried to escape, following which an exchange of fire took place.
Ganjhu sustained bullet injuries during the encounter and was taken to a hospital, where doctors declared him dead.
Police Personnel Saved by Bulletproof Jackets
During the exchange of fire, bullets reportedly struck the bulletproof jackets of UP ATS Deputy Superintendent of Police Vipin Rai and Head Constable Nitin Krishna.
