Maoist wanted in murder, extortion cases since 1999 killed in Bihar gunfight

A wanted Maoist leader carrying a reward of Rs 50,000 has been shot dead in an encounter in the Teghra police station area of Begusarai in Bihar on Tuesday night in a joint operation by the Bihar Police Special Task Force (STF) and district police, said Additional Director General (ADG) of Bihar Police Headquarters and Operations Kundan Krishnan.

The deceased was identified as Dayanand Malakar, alias Chhotu alias Kulbir, secretary of the North Bihar Central Zonal Committee. He was a resident of Hamodih village under Birpur police station in Begusarai district and was currently operating from Nonpur village in the Teghra area.

ADG Krishnan said that acting on specific intelligence, a joint team under the supervision of Deputy Superintendents of Police (DSP), Sumit Shekhar and Rajiv Lal, with multiple specialised units of the STF and district intelligence unit (DIU) moved in after receiving information that Malakar had assembled with his associates in the Teghra area with weapons to carry out a major attack. “Inputs also suggested that he was planning to collect levy money and execute other serious crimes,” he added.

The ADG said the area was cordoned off, but Maoists opened indiscriminate fire on spotting the security personnel. “In retaliatory action and in self-defence, Dayanand Malakar was shot and injured,” Krishnan said, adding that he was rushed to a local hospital, where doctors declared him dead.

The police have also arrested two of Malakar’s associates from the spot, and legal proceedings are under way initiating with the registration of a case in Teghra police station in connection with the incident.

A cache of arms and ammunition was recovered from the site, including a 5.56 mm INSAS rifle, a country-made carbine, a country-made pistol, 25 live cartridges of different bores, an additional magazine for the carbine, and 15 empty shells.

ADG Krishnan said Malakar had been involved in Maoist and criminal activities for over two decades. “He was a dreaded Maoist and had been continuously involved in serious crimes such as extortion and murder since 1999,” he said.

The officer added that Malakar was involved in the 2003 murder of Shivji Mahato in the Bakhri police station area of Begusarai and the 2006 incident of damaging railway tracks under the Barauni police station limits, among several other serious cases. “He used to intimidate contractors associated with brick kilns and construction companies like roads, bridges and buildings, to collect levy in the name of the organisation,” the ADG said.

Police records show that more than 20 cases, including murder, extortion, arms and explosives-related offences, were registered against Malakar across Begusarai, Khagaria and other districts of north Bihar. He was declared a wanted criminal with a Rs 50,000 reward by the Begusarai district police.

Earlier this week, on Sunday, 3 Maoist leaders, including a zonal commander and a sub-zonal commander, each carrying a Rs 3 lakh reward, had also surrendered before the Bihar Director General of Police (DGP) following sustained pressure from the Bihar STF and state security forces, ADG Kundan Krishnan confirmed.

Those included Narayan Koda, the zonal commander of the CPI (Maoist), Bahadur Koda, the sub-zonal commander, and another operative, Binod Koda.

The officer said that “Narayan Koda and Bahadur Koda had been absconding for over 15 years, and were involved in more than 23 serious criminal cases across Lakhisarai, Jamui, and Munger districts”.

Following their surrender, action was being initiated to extend benefits to the surrendered Maoists under the surrender-cum-rehabilitation policy.