Four Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) jawans are suspected to have been killed in an encounter with the banned CPI (Maoist) in the Katiya forest in Latehar district, 110 km from Ranchi.
One Maoist is believed to have been killed. Ten CRPF jawans and two jawans from Jharkhand Jaguars were injured.
CRPF and police officials, however, said they could not confirm the number of jawans who were killed as they are still missing. “The encounter began at 11 a.m. on Monday. Four CRPF jawans are untraceable. We are still looking for them,” said Latehar Superintendent of Police Kranti Kumar.
Union Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh visited Latehar and Palamu, two of Jharkhand’s 20 left wing extremism-affected districts, on December 30 and 31.
