NEW DELHI: The Central Reserve Police Force’s (CRPF) Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (CoBRA), which specializes in jungle warfare, has neutralized 20 hardcore Left-wing extremists in Jharkhand this year. This includes two members of the Central Committee (CCM), alongside efforts from the state police.
The two CCM members are identified as Vivek Chandri Yadav alias Prayag, who was killed during an operation in Bokaro in April, and Sahdev Soren, who was killed along with two aides on Monday. Over recent months, the CoBRA battalion has eliminated two Bihar-Jharkhand special area committee members, four zonal committee members, two sub-zonal committee members, and three area committee members, in addition to numerous other notorious Naxal cadres.
In their operations, CoBRA commandos have apprehended three Naxals, which include one sub-zonal committee member, one area committee member, and one cadre, contributing to a significant decline in morale among the remaining Naxal ranks, according to a CRPF official.
“Troops of 209 CoBRA have recovered 32 sophisticated automatic weapons, 345 kilograms of explosives, 88 detonators, 2,500 live ammunition, and large quantities of war-like materials,” the official stated. Additionally, the CoBRA teams have dismantled 18 Naxal hideouts and 39 bunkers in Jharkhand, severely affecting the operational and organizational capabilities of the Communist Party of India (Maoist).
The joint efforts of the CRPF and Jharkhand Police have played a crucial role in eradicating the last vestiges of Naxalism in the region. Their collaborative operations in 2022 successfully eliminated Naxal presence from areas such as Burhapahad and Chakrabandha.
