PLFI Militants Fire at Stone Crusher in Khunti, Demand Rs 20 Lakh

Khunti- In a fresh show of strength, cadres of the banned People’s Liberation Front of India (PLFI) allegedly opened fire at a stone crusher plant in Jharkhand’s Khunti district and demanded Rs 20 lakh as extortion, officials said.

The firing incident occurred on Wednesday night in the Dugdugiya locality under Sadar police station limits. Officials said the militants fired multiple rounds in the air to terrorise workers and left behind an extortion note demanding payment from the crusher owner.

Initial investigations suggest that four armed PLFI members were involved in the incident. After firing shots, they reportedly handed over a written threat letter to plant employees, demanding Rs 20 lakh as levy and warning of dire consequences in case of non-compliance.

The letter was issued in the name of Rajesh Yadav, who is said to be a zonal-level leader of the outfit.

Sub-Divisional Police Officer Varun Rajak confirmed the incident and said that a police team, led by him and the Sadar police station in-charge, reached the spot promptly. The area was inspected and workers were questioned as part of the investigation.

Police have launched search operations in the surrounding forested areas to track down the accused and are analysing the evidence collected from the site.

The incident has raised serious concerns for security agencies, particularly in the wake of a recent joint announcement by the PLFI and the Bharatiya Jan Mukti Morcha on December 21, declaring an expansion of extremist activities in the region.

Following the firing, panic has spread among industrial workers and local residents, with many expressing apprehension about a possible resurgence of extortion and extremist violence in Khunti district.

With inputs from IANS