Chaibasa: In a fierce encounter with security forces in the Kolhan forests, Hemanti Mamijhaiyin, the female associate of the one-crore bounty Maoist commander Anal Da, was killed. Hemanti, a longtime companion and bodyguard of Anal Da, had 21 criminal cases against her. Despite the escape of other insurgents during the security forces’ encirclement, Hemanti was shot dead by police gunfire.
Hemanti Mamijhaiyin, a resident of Gorgorwa village in the Nawadih police station area of Bokaro district, had been closely associated with Anal Da for several years. She became a trusted figure, often seen carrying an INSAS rifle to protect Anal Da. Over time, Hemanti gained significant prominence as Anal Da’s primary bodyguard and female companion in the Saranda forests.
In the recent encounter, police received intelligence that Maoist Regional Commander Amit Munda, with a reward of 15 lakhs, was active in the Podahat forest area in Sonuva. Along with him were Zonal Commander Sanjay Ganjhu, Subzonal Commander Prabhat Munda, and others, including Hemanti. DGP Anurag Gupta emphasized that the slain Maoists were not mere criminals but dangerous insurgents, and the state would soon witness the complete eradication of the Maoist threat.
As police surrounded the area, the Maoists opened fire, with Hemanti leading the charge, firing at the police. While other insurgents attempted to escape, security forces retaliated. In the subsequent search operation, the bodies of a male and a female Maoist were recovered, with Hemanti identified as the one who took the lead in the gunfire against the police.
Hemanti Mamijhaiyin had 21 cases registered against her in several police stations across Bihar and Jharkhand, involved in several major Maoist-led incidents in the region in recent years. Police had been tracking her for a long time, as she was a key figure in the Maoist network.
The encounter also resulted in the death of another notorious Maoist commander, Sanjay Ganjhu, against whom five criminal cases were registered in different police stations.
