A suspected Maoist operative, believed to be involved in a recent IED blast on a railway track in Assam’s Kokrajhar district, was killed in a police encounter during an anti-insurgency operation on Saturday, officials confirmed.
According to Kokrajhar Superintendent of Police Pushpraj Singh, the encounter occurred during an early morning raid at Nadanguri, where police teams were searching following Thursday’s railway explosion.
“Based on intelligence inputs, we traced a group of militants hiding in the area. When police personnel approached, they came under fire. Our team retaliated, forcing the militants to flee. One injured militant was later found at the site and taken to the hospital, where he was declared dead,” Singh said.
Security forces recovered a pistol, two grenades, and identification documents, including a voter ID card and Aadhaar card.
The deceased was identified as Apil Murmu alias Rohit Murmu (40), who police said had links with Maoist networks and was wanted in several insurgency-related cases in Assam and Jharkhand.
Also read: IED blast on track halts rail traffic in Assam, north Bengal
Murmu had been involved in extremist violence since 2015, operating under two identities, Rohit Murmu in Jharkhand and Apil Murmu in Assam’s Kachugaon-Grahampur area. A Jharkhand police team also participated in the operation.
“Murmu was suspected to have played a role in the October 2024 train blast in Jharkhand, which bore striking similarities to the recent Kokrajhar explosion. Evidence suggests he may have orchestrated both incidents,” Singh added.
Investigations revealed that Murmu was formerly associated with the National Santhal Liberation Army (NSLA), an insurgent outfit that has since surrendered. He later fled to Jharkhand, formed a new armed group, and established ties with Maoist elements to expand militant operations across state borders.
Thursday’s IED blast disrupted train movement across Lower Assam and parts of North Bengal, though no casualties were reported.
Police believe around 10 militants were present during the Nadanguri encounter. “Operations are continuing to track down Murmu’s remaining associates and dismantle their network,” Singh said.
Security forces have intensified surveillance and search operations in Kokrajhar and adjoining districts to neutralise the group’s presence in the region.
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