Overview
- Twenty-seven cadres linked to CPI (Maoist) laid down arms in Ranchi on Thursday under Operation Navjeevan and will be offered rehabilitation and financial assistance.
- The group included multiple senior operatives — six Special Zonal Committee members, six Area Committee members and 13 squad members — who handed over 17 weapons and nearly 3,000 rounds of ammunition.
- Security officials say the surrendered fighters came from Saranda and Kolhan units associated with Misir Besra but confirmed that Besra himself did not surrender and remains a priority target.
- Authorities have reinforced the Saranda search with roughly 4,000 personnel from Jharkhand police, CRPF and CoBRA and have set up forward bases and advanced camp locations to seal forest supply lines.
- Intelligence reports disagree on Besra’s whereabouts, with some sources saying he may have exfiltrated Saranda toward Khunti, Purulia or neighbouring states, which complicates claims that the insurgency in the area is conclusively broken.