In a significant success for Jharkhand’s anti-Naxal operations, security forces gunned down Martin Kerketta, the self-styled leader of the banned People’s Liberation Front of India (PLFI), during a fierce encounter in Gumla district late Tuesday night.
Kerketta, one of the most wanted Maoist figures in the state, carried a reward of ₹15 lakh and was accused in over 70 cases involving violence, extortion, and insurgency. He was known for terrorising multiple districts, including Gumla, Khunti, Simdega, Lohardaga, and Ranchi, and had been a key target for state intelligence agencies for years.
According to Gumla Superintendent of Police Haris Bin Zama, police received intelligence that Kerketta and his armed squad had entered Changabari Upartoli under Kamdara police station limits, allegedly to extort money from a local trader. Acting swiftly, a joint team comprising the district’s anti-Naxal Quick Response Team (QRT) and personnel from nearby police stations launched a cordon-and-search operation.
As the forces closed in, the Maoists opened fire, triggering a heavy exchange. Kerketta was killed in the gun battle, and security forces recovered weapons and ammunition from the spot. A search operation is continuing in the area to track down other members of the group.
A native of Redma village in Kamdara, Kerketta was closely associated with former PLFI chief Dinesh Gop and rose to leadership after Gop’s arrest in Nepal two years ago. He had been inducted into the PLFI central committee and was notorious for evading capture in several previous encounters.
“This is a major blow to PLFI’s operations in Jharkhand,” SP Zama said. “The elimination of Martin Kerketta marks a crucial success in our sustained crackdown on extremist networks.”
