SAA event in Bihar, Lakhisarai District area, India on Sat 23rd October 2021

A Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) cadre was killed in an encounter with the Special Task Force (STF) in the forest and hilly areas under Pidi Bazar Police Station in Lakhisarai District of Bihar on October 23, reports Hindustan Times. The slain Maoist was identified as Pramod Koda, whose body was recovered from Lathia Pahari along with an AK47 rifle, Police said. Additional Director General of Police (ADGP), operation, Sushil M Khopde said Lakhisarai Police launched a search and rescue operation following information that some Maoists were hiding in the forest area of Bhagatpur after abducting the son of a Public Distribution System (PDS) dealer. “At around 10pm, the STF team came under heavy firing by the Maoists and fired back in self-defense,” said Khopde, adding that one Maoist was killed in the exchange of fire that lasted for about one-and-a-half hours, following which, the rebels escaped into the forest. Search operations have been intensified in the area to trace the abducted person, the official said. Pidi Bazar Station House Officer (SHO), Prajesh Kumar Dubey said armed Maoists attacked the house of PDS dealer Bhagwat Prasad at Chaukara and abducted his son Deepak Prasad (24). Koda, along with his associates, was fleeing after abducting the PDS dealer’s son for a ransom of INR 10 million. The abducted youth, Deepak was yet to be rescued, however, a massive joint operation is on in certain parts of Lakhisarai, Jamui and Munger Districts to recover him, adds The Times of India.