In a significant crackdown against Maoist insurgency, security forces in two Indian states achieved major successes on the night of August 5 and throughout August 6, 2025.

In Jharkhand’s Gumla district, a top-ranking Maoist leader and People’s Liberation Front of India (PLFI) commander, Martin Kerketta, was killed in a fierce gunfight.

Kerketta, who had a ₹15 lakh bounty on his head, was regarded as one of the most wanted Maoist figures in Jharkhand, accused in over 70 cases spanning violence, extortion, and insurgent activities across Gumla, Khunti, Simdega, Lohardaga, and Ranchi.

The operation was initiated following intelligence that Kerketta, leading an armed PLFI squad, had entered the Changabadi Upartoli area under Kamdara Police Station, allegedly to extort money from a local businessman.

Acting swiftly, a special team comprising the district’s anti-Naxal Quick Response Team (QRT) and forces from neighbouring stations launched a cordon-and-search operation. Upon encountering advancing police, Kerketta and his associates opened fire, resulting in a fierce exchange.

During the retaliatory gunfight, Kerketta was killed on the spot and police recovered arms and ammunition from the scene. Officials consider this operation a serious blow to the PLFI, with ongoing search operations to pursue other squad members.

Kerketta, previously a close associate and schoolmate of former PLFI chief Dinesh Gope—who was apprehended in Nepal two years prior—had assumed the group’s leadership and held a prominent role in its central committee, orchestrating extortion, intimidation, and armed operations. His death is marked as a major milestone in Jharkhand’s continuing anti-Naxal campaign.

Simultaneously, in Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur district, another Maoist insurgent was killed in an encounter with security forces engaged in an anti-Naxal operation in the forested western part of the district.

Early on Wednesday, a joint team consisting of the District Reserve Guard (DRG), Special Task Force (STF), and the 210th battalion of the CoBRA unit initiated the operation based on credible intelligence about Maoist movement.

The Maoists opened fire, triggering a retaliatory response from the security personnel. Authorities confirmed that the body of a Maoist, along with a weapon, was recovered during the operation, though intermittent firing continued and further details remained withheld to protect operational security.

Additional reinforcements were kept on standby, given the possibility of more casualties among the insurgents as the area was combed by the advancing security forces.

Both these successive operations underscore intensified efforts by Indian security agencies to dismantle Maoist leadership structures and neutralise left-wing extremism, particularly in historically insurgency-prone belt regions such as Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh.

The elimination of senior Maoist commanders like Kerketta is expected to have a cascading effect on the PLFI’s operational capabilities in Jharkhand and dissuade further acts of violence in the region. Meanwhile, the ongoing anti-Maoist campaign in Chhattisgarh’s Bastar region highlights the persistent vigilance and tactical preparedness of Indian paramilitary forces.

These encounters signal the state’s reinforced determination to contain—and ultimately eliminate—Maoist influence from these troubled areas.

Based On A PTI Report