Palamu, Nov 10 (IANS) An INSAS rifle and a large quantity of ammunition have been recovered from a forest in Jharkhand’s Palamu district following information provided by a Maoist commander carrying a reward of Rs 1.3 million in Jharkhand and Bihar, who was recently arrested in Maharashtra.
The recovery was made based on information provided by Sanjay Yadav, alias Godram, who was arrested by the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) in Thane two days ago. Following his interrogation, he was handed over to the Palamu police for further investigation.
Sanjay Yadav is a Zonal Committee Member (ZCM) of the banned Communist Party of India (Maoist). He carries a bounty of Rs 1 million in Jharkhand and Rs 3 million in Bihar. He is wanted in connection with a total of 53 cases registered in the two states, including 23 in Palamu, 20 in Aurangabad and 10 in Gaya district of Bihar.
The cases against him include charges of murder, attacks on police personnel, extortion, explosions, arson, and possession of arms and explosives. He is a resident of Devgan (Tilhadwa) village under the Chhatarpur police station area of Palamu district.
According to police records, Sanjay Yadav has allegedly been involved in several major Naxalite incidents.
On the night of April 25-26, 2019, he was allegedly involved in the bombing of the BJP election office at Hira Complex in Hariharganj Bazaar. He was also accused of setting fire to machinery and temporary sheds at a bridge construction site over the Batane River near Turi village.
He is also accused in the November 23, 2019 firing incident in Pipra Bazaar, in which JMM block president Mohan Kumar Gupta and another civilian, Suraj Kumar Soni, were killed, while two others sustained injuries.
On August 23, 2023, labourers and clerical staff engaged in the construction of the Mahudand-Kala Pahad road were allegedly taken hostage, while vehicles and machinery deployed at the site were set on fire. Three Hiva trucks, a grader, a roller, a paver, a tractor and a motorcycle were destroyed. Sanjay Yadav is also an accused in this case.
Police records further indicate that he is allegedly involved in extortion from crusher and brick kiln operators and incidents of vehicles being torched during road construction work.
In July 2023, can bombs and cylinder bombs were planted beneath a culvert near Harna village on the Pipra-Chhatarpur main road, allegedly targeting police personnel.
In February 2025, an IED weighing approximately eight to nine kg was recovered during a search operation after being buried in the Dudhiya forest of Hussainabad. In May 2025, an encounter took place between security personnel and a Maoist squad in the Barwahi forest under the Pandu police station area. Sanjay Yadav is also accused in these cases.
–IANS
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