Who killed dreaded Naxalite ChiragIJ The CRPF and the SSB have separately claimed to have killed the top ultra during an operation on January 29 in Jamui district of Bihar. Having lost to the CRPF in staking claim to the success, the SSB issued a release on January 30 and a detailed one on Monday wherein it mentioned Chirag was involved in the brutal killing of former Chief Minister “Babulal Marandi”.

Fact is that Marandi is live and kicking, heading the Jharkhand Vikas Morcha (Prajatantrik). It was his son, Anup, who was killed by Naxalites in 2007.

Also, in their apparent rush to claim gallantry medal, both the forces claimed to have launched the operation in which the ultra was liquidated.

The CRPF, the lead anti-Naxal force, said, “Maoists suffered another serious setback in Bihar when one of their top leaders namely Chirag Ramchandra Mahto, Chief of Military Commission of PBPJSAC was neutralised by CRPF and police in a joint operation in Jamui district of Bihar on 29th January 2016 evening.”

The release issued by CRPF DIG (Operations) Yogyan Singh further said, “Based on an intelligence input about presence of 35-40 armed Maoists in the forest area of Asarkha, Kathabar and nearby area of PS -Charkhapathhar of District Jamui, a 2-day special operation was launched by 215 Bn CRPF, STF and 6 Bn SSB on 28/1/2016 night. Next day, the intelligence input further developed that the Maoist guerrillas have been spotted near Kathabar.”

Following the input, reinforcements under SP, Jamui and Commandants CRPF/SSB joined the operating troops. On January 29, 2016 around 5 pm, while the joint troops were combing a hilly and forest area between Kathabar and Simardhab, the Maoists opened indiscriminate firing on operating troops. The troops promptly retaliated and maneuvered tactically. Meanwhile, dark set in the fierce gun battle continued for about one hour. Intermittent firing from Maoists on troops continued whole night.

With the first light, combing operation resumed during which the body of one Maoist  was recovered from encounter site along with 3 arms, uniform items, bandolier and various other incriminating items, the CRPF said.

later on, the killed Maoist was identified as Chirag @ Ramchandra Mahto, CPI (Maoist) Military Commission Chief of PBPJSAC (Purvi Bihar Purvottar Jharkhand Special Area Committee).

Chirag was a dreaded Maoist leader who carried a reward of `5 lakh by Bihar Government and `25 lakh by Jharkhand Government. He was responsible for killing of a number of security force’s personnel and innocent civilians in the bordering area of Bihar and Jharkhand especially Jamui, lakhisarai, Munger and Giridih districts. A number of police cases are pending in various police stations of Bihar and Jharkhand against the slain Maoist.

In its release issued on Saturday, the SSB claimed “it was running an operation on January 29 in the areas around Asarkha, Kathabar Chikhakhar. Actionable intelligence from SSB sources suggested presence of Naxals in Kathabar. Then a joint operations by SSB, CRPF and SP, Jamui began an encounter with the Naxals at 5 pm.”

The SSB release also said quoting data from office of SP, Jamui that 50 cases against Chirag were pending in Bihar and Jharkhand including attacks on railway property, bank robbery, arms loot and killing of police and paramilitary officials besides desecration of Mahatma Gandhi’s statue. The Naxal was also involved in killing of the then SP of Munger Surendra Babu.

During the searches after the operation, the security forces recovered 303 bore rifle, a countrymade 315 bore rifle, a 9mm pistol of US make, a mobile phone and live cartridges.

In August, a similar game of one-upmanship had erupted between the CRPF and the BSF over who had killed a Pakistani terrorist Noman during an encounter in Udhampur.

BSF constables Rocky from Haryana and Subhendu Roy from Bengal were killed when terrorists ambushed a BSF convoy in Jammu and have respectively received the Shaurya Chakra and the President’s Police Medal for Gallantry for “neutralising” Noman alias Nomi.