TSPC area commander among 5 arrested in Hazaribagh, major Maoist plot foiled

Ranchi: In a significant breakthrough against Maoist insurgency, Hazaribagh Police arrested five members of the banned Tritiya Sammelan Prastuti Committee (TSPC), including a key area commander, during a late-night operation in the Taraesa forest region on June 12. Acting on precise intelligence, police foiled a major attack that the group had allegedly been planning in the area.

The operation was launched after Superintendent of Police Anjani Anjan received credible information around 9 PM about 7–8 armed TSPC operatives assembling near Ghatgosai under the Taraesa jungle. A special team was immediately formed under the leadership of Sadar Sub-Divisional Police Officer Amit Anand (IPS), with support from technical and anti-Naxal units. The joint task force, including armed personnel, swiftly launched a combing operation.

The team succeeded in apprehending five Maoists and seized a large cache of illegal arms and ammunition. Among the arrested is Awadhesh Kumar alias Prashant Ji, a senior TSPC commander with a long criminal record. The others have been identified as Aditya Ganjhu, Deven Ganjhu, and Dharam Ganjhu — all from Lawalong area of Chatra district — and Rupalal Ganjhu of Keredari, Hazaribagh.

Seized items include one AR-15 M4 American carbine rifle with magazine, one 7.62 mm country-made pistol with magazine, three country-made firearms (kattas), six carbine rounds, two 7.62 mm rounds, six 8 mm rounds, 14 rounds of .303 rifle ammunition, nine mobile phones, ten TSPC pamphlets, one camouflage backpack, and a magazine pouch.

Awadhesh Kumar alias Prashant Ji is linked to multiple serious cases registered under Katkamsandi and Katkamdag police stations, including charges of attempt to murder, unlawful assembly, criminal intimidation, and offences under the CLA Act.

This operation comes in the wake of a recent TSPC attack on June 1 in the Pagar OP area under Keredari police station, where armed cadres torched two vehicles belonging to BGR Mining Company and fired shots before fleeing, leaving behind pamphlets signed in the name of "Kaushal Ji." An SIT was constituted to investigate that incident.

The successful operation was carried out by a team comprising SDPOs Amit Anand and Pawan Kumar (Barkagaon), along with police inspectors and sub-inspectors from multiple police stations, and members of the technical and anti-Naxal units.

Police officials stated that the timely action prevented a potential large-scale Maoist attack. Hazaribagh Police reaffirmed its commitment to maintaining peace and security in the region.