Varanasi, September 20 (Daily Kiran) : A significant encounter unfolded in Varanasi on Sunday morning, resulting in the death of Brijesh Ganjhu, a notorious commander of the banned Naxalite group, the Tritiya Prastuti Committee (TPC). Ganjhu, also known as Gopal Singh Bhakta, was wanted with a total bounty of ₹30 lakh from both the Jharkhand government and the National Investigation Agency (NIA).
According to security officials, the encounter occurred around 5 AM in the Ramnagar police station area, near the Tengra turn. The Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) received intelligence that Ganjhu was traveling by motorcycle towards Mughal Sarai. The ATS promptly set up a blockade in the area. When Ganjhu was signaled to stop, he allegedly opened fire on the team.
Deputy Superintendent of Police Vipin Rai reported that Ganjhu’s gunfire struck their bulletproof vests. In response, the ATS returned fire, injuring him. He was taken to a district hospital, where doctors pronounced him dead. During the encounter, one of his associates managed to escape. The ATS recovered two pistols, live cartridges, and spent shells from the scene. The body has been sent to the Lal Bahadur Shastri Hospital for a post-mortem examination.
Hailing from the Lawaloung police station area in Chatra district, Ganjhu had been on the wanted list of security agencies for a considerable time. The Jharkhand government had placed a reward of ₹25 lakh on him, while the NIA added an additional ₹5 lakh. He faced numerous charges across several states, including murder, extortion, arms offenses, and terror financing. The NIA was actively pursuing him in connection with terror financing linked to the TPC.
Investigators revealed that Ganjhu was involved in a network that extorted levies from businesses related to coal mining, transportation, and contracting. Following his death, security agencies in Jharkhand are reviewing records of cases filed against him and his involvement in Naxalite activities.
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