VARANASI: Naxal commander Brijesh Ganjhu, carrying a bounty of ₹30 lakh, was killed in an encounter with police in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, early Sunday morning. The gunfight took place near Lanka Maidan under the jurisdiction of Ramnagar Police Station, police said.
According to the police, Ganjhu, also known as Gopal Singh Bhokta, was a commander of the banned Jharkhand-based Naxal outfit Tritiya Prastuti Committee (TPC). A native of Chatra district in Jharkhand, he was facing multiple criminal cases and had been sought by several investigating agencies, including the National Investigation Agency (NIA), police said.
Police said Ganjhu was travelling on a motorcycle with an associate from Tengra Mod towards Mughalsarai when a joint team of the Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) and Ramnagar Police intercepted them based on specific intelligence.
According to the investigating team, the suspect allegedly refused to stop and opened fire at the police after getting off the motorcycle. The police then returned fire, leading to an exchange of gunfire.
Ganjhu sustained bullet injuries during the encounter. He was taken to a hospital for treatment, where doctors later declared him dead.
Police also said that bullets fired by Ganjhu struck the bulletproof jackets of UP ATS Deputy Superintendent of Police Vipin Rai and Head Constable Nitendra Krishna during the exchange. Both officers were reported to be safe.
A total bounty of ₹30 lakh had been announced for information leading to Ganjhu’s capture. Of this, the Jharkhand government had announced ₹25 lakh, while the NIA had offered another ₹5 lakh.
Following the encounter, police conducted a detailed search of the area. Evidence related to the exchange of fire and other circumstances surrounding the operation are being collected as part of the investigation.
The encounter marks a significant development in the hunt for a TPC commander who, according to police, had remained on the radar of multiple law-enforcement and investigating agencies.
