Varanasi/Patna: A Jharkhand-based Maoist leader who carried a combined reward of ₹30 lakh was killed in an encounter with the Anti Terrorist Squad (ATS) of the Uttar Pradesh police in Varanasi on Sunday morning, officials said.
Encounter and immediate actions
Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (STF) Inspector General Prem Gautam said the confrontation occurred at the Ramnagar area of Varanasi at about 5 am when the ATS intercepted the suspect following a tip-off. The man has been identified as Brijesh Ganjhu, also known as Gopal Singh, who was wanted by Jharkhand and central agencies.
“Acting on a tip-off, police attempted to intercept and arrest him; however, instead of stopping, he jumped off the vehicle and opened fire on the police personnel. In the ensuing exchange of fire, he was shot,” the official said.
Ganjhu was taken to hospital but was declared dead, the official added. The ATS recovered two pistols, live cartridges and spent shells from the scene. The body has been kept at the post-mortem facility of Lal Bahadur Shastri Hospital, Varanasi, as per officials.
Who he was and the bounty
Ganjhu was described by the UP police as the chief of the Tritiya Prastuti Committee (TPC), a banned organisation in Jharkhand believed to be an offshoot of the CPI (Maoist). Security agencies in Jharkhand had placed a reward on him, with the Jharkhand government announcing ₹25 lakh and the National Investigation Agency (NIA) offering an additional ₹5 lakh for information leading to his arrest.
| Agency | Reward |
|---|---|
| Jharkhand government | ₹25 lakh |
| NIA | ₹5 lakh |
| Total | ₹30 lakh |
Charges and investigations
Police said Ganjhu was wanted in multiple cases across Jharkhand and other states. The charges listed by officials include alleged involvement in murder, extortion, illegal arms activities and terror funding. The NIA has also been searching for him in connection with an alleged terror-financing case, according to police statements.
Sequence leading to encounter
- UP ATS received a tip-off that Ganjhu would be moving by motorcycle from Teghra Mod towards Mughalsarai and lay in wait at Lanka Maidan, Varanasi.
- When officers attempted interception, personnel said Ganjhu opened fire, prompting return fire from the ATS.
- Two pistols, live cartridges and spent shells were recovered from the scene.
- The deceased was taken to Lal Bahadur Shastri Hospital where he was pronounced dead and the body sent for post-mortem.
Official statements and safety of personnel
IG Prem Gautam said bullets fired by the suspected insurgent struck the bulletproof jackets of two policemen — UP ATS Deputy SP Vipin Rai and Head Constable Nitendra Krishna — but both officers remained unhurt. The recovery of firearms at the spot will form part of ongoing forensic and ballistic examinations.
Implications for Jharkhand and regional security
The killing of a figure described as a TPC chief in Varanasi underlines the inter-state mobility of several Naxal operatives and the yield of intelligence-led operations. Agencies from Jharkhand and the central government, including the NIA, had been tracking Ganjhu for alleged involvement in violent and financial activities linked to insurgency. Details recovered during post-encounter procedures and forensic analysis may feed into pending investigations and cases in multiple jurisdictions.
What happens next
Police in Varanasi will complete the post-mortem and hand over the body after procedural formalities. Investigating teams are likely to coordinate with Jharkhand police and central agencies to corroborate identity, examine recovered items and link the episode to outstanding cases registered against Ganjhu.
Authorities said further details would be shared as investigations progress and legal procedures are completed.
