Naxal with Rs 10L on his head, wanted for 100 attacks, killed

JAMSHEDPUR: A dreaded Maoist carrying a bounty of Rs 10 lakh and involved in around 100 attacks, including a jailbreak and the murder of police officials, died from gunshot wounds sustained in an encounter with security forces during a combing operation in Jharkhand's West Singhbhum district Sunday morning, reports B Sridhar.

An SLR rifle and several cartridges were recovered near the body of Amit Hansda , alias Aptan, a member of CPI (Maoist) zonal committee, a source said.

Wanted in nearly 100 violent incidents orchestrated by Maoists in Kolhan division between 2008 and 2025, Aptan allegedly masterminded major offensives against state forces and elected representatives in West Singhbhum and Seraikela-Kharsawan districts. Chaibasa SP Rakesh Ranjan said Aptan was involved in the June 2019 attack in which five police officials were killed and their arms looted in Seraikela.

He was also accused in the Jan 2022 attack on former BJP MLA Gurucharan Nayak, in which two security guards were shot dead. Though Nayak and his driver escaped unhurt.