Security forces gunned down CPI (Maoist) Area Commander Arun alias Varun alias Nilesh Madkam in West Singhbhum district’s Saranda forest on Wednesday morning. The encounter took place in the dense, hilly terrain of Souta under Goilkera police station limits, a region long known as a Maoist stronghold. The joint anti-Maoist operation was launched after intelligence inputs warned of a possible attack on police and security forces ahead of Independence Day.
