Jharkhand senior anti-Naxalite force officer killed in encounter; one ultra gunned down

He was airlifted to Ranchi but did not survive, Homkar told PTI.Several weapons including an AK-47 rifle were recovered from the encounter site, he said.Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren said the state has lost the deputy commandant during a search operation.

A 41-year-old deputy commandant rank official of Jharkhand Jaguar, an anti-Naxalite force of the state police, was killed in an encounter with extremists in Latehar district on Tuesday, a senior official said.

An ultra of the banned Naxalite outfit, Jharkhand Jan Mukti Parishad (JJMP), was also gunned down in the encounter which took place inside Salayya forest, IG (Operations) and Jharkhand Police spokesperson AV Homkar said.

''Deputy Commandant and Assault Commander of Jharkhand Jaguar Rajesh Kumar was injured during an encounter with extremists at Latehar forests. He was airlifted to Ranchi but did not survive,'' Homkar told PTI.

Several weapons including an AK-47 rifle were recovered from the encounter site, he said.

Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren said the state has lost the deputy commandant during a search operation. ''May God give peace to the soul of the brave martyr and give strength to the bereaved family to bear the grief,'' Soren said in a tweet.