Ranchi: Splinter groups of Naxals in Jharkhand have been indulging in numerous crimes including collecting the levy. The 'splinter groups' split from bigger Naxalite organizations and are working in small groups. The group has turned out to be a menace in the capital city of Ranchi.
Three splinter groups terrorise people
In Jharkhand, there are more than six splinter groups of Naxalites, but three out of them continue to frequently challenge the police by spreading terror. These three organizations are the People's Liberation Front of India (PLFI), Jharkhand Janmukti Parishad (JJMP) and the Third Presentation Committee (TPC).
These splinter groups have been labelled as ‘terrorists’ in the state. These three organizations are active in different districts of the state. The CPI (Maoist), the largest Naxalite organization in Jharkhand, dominates in about 15 districts, while PLFI, TPC and JJMP are highly active in around four to five districts.
Which splinter group dominates which district?
• PLFI - Ranchi, Khunti, Gumla, Simdega
• JJMP - Chatra, Latehar, Palamu, Lohardaga
• TPC - Chatra, Latehar, Palamu
However, the largest Naxalite organization in all these districts is the Communist Party of India (Maoist). All splinter groups of Naxalites used to earlier work with CPI (Maoist)s at some point in time. They separated from Maoists due to various reasons - greed for money, mutual rivalry and caste politics led them to break away from Maoists.
Jharkhand police spokesperson and Additional Inspector General, Abhiyan Saket Singh told ETV Bharat that PLFI's activism has increased in recent times around the capital, but the police are constantly taking action against them. Soon they will be completely under control. He outrightly denied the allegation that TPC and JJMP are police-backed organizations.
Splinter group: People's Liberation Front of India
Supremo: Dinesh Gop
Reward: 25 lakhs (Government of Jharkhand) + 5 lakhs (NIA)
Earnings: 40 to 50 crores annually
The People's Liberation Front of India is very active in some areas of the capital city Ranchi, Khunti, Gumla, Simdega and Chaibasa. PLFI was formed in the year 2007 by Dinesh Gop.
Currently, there are 40 to 50 people involved with this organization. This organization possesses both modern style arms and ammunition as well as locally-made weapons on a large scale. The PLFI is the first such militant organization in the state that also manufactures weapons and sells them to criminals.
Despite being very small in number, this organization works through small criminal gangs working in their respective areas of influence. PLFI Naxalites have been arrested from time to time in cases ranging from contract killing to bike theft. Currently, this gang is more active in the extortion business. Their targets are big businessmen who fall in their area of operations. They are also constantly demanding money from the traders and if the demand is not fulfilled, they are known to fire bullets on the houses of the defiant traders. In the last two months, more than 2 dozen PLFI militants have been arrested only from the capital Ranchi. Despite this, police pressure on the organization is not working and the organization is constantly demanding extortion from the people.
Splinter Group: Third Presentation Committee
Supremo: Brajesh Ganjhu alias Gopal Singh Bhokta
Reward: 25 lakhs (Government of Jharkhand) + 5 lakhs (NIA)
Earnings: 90 to 100 crores annually
The Third Presentation Committee or TPC organization has, on one hand, proved to be a secret boon for the Jharkhand Police, while on the other hand, it is another name for ‘terror’ for all companies who are dealing in the business of coal. In Jharkhand, some members of the Communist Party of India (Maoist) broke away from the cadre complaining of domination of the Yadav caste in the decision-making process. They formed the Third Presentation Committee in the year 2002. The TPC cadres were mostly from Dalit, Bhokta, Turi, Badai, Oraon and Ganju castes. Its leaders often say that their enemies are not the police instead they are the Maoists. This organization is in a very strong position in Chatra district of Jharkhand. This organization operates in many areas of Jharkhand and South Bihar, which were under the influence of Maoists and used to work like a parallel government there. TPC eliminated the Maoists from such areas. This organization raises crores every year from the Amrapali Magadha coal project of Chatra. It also possesses the US and Germany made weapons.
Read: Naxals kill man at Chhath ghat in Jharkhand's Chatra
Splinter Group: Jharkhand Janmukti Parishad
Supremo: Pappu Lohra
Reward: 1o lakhs
Earnings: 30 to 40 crores annually
JJMP, a militant organization operating in Jharkhand's Lohardaga, Latehar and Palamu, has often been accused of colluding with the police. This organization collects the maximum amount of money from coal mines. Their number is about hundred and they have weapons like AK-47. The purpose of this organization is only to collect levy. JJMP supremo, Pappu Lohra's picture with policemen often goes viral. This is the reason why it is believed that this organization has been created by some officers of Jharkhand Police; and they use them against the CPI (Maoists). Palamu's famous Bakoria fake encounter case is being investigated by CBI.
Pressure from NIA puts splinter groups on back foot
As soon as the National Investigation Agency (NIA) entered into the investigation of the Terror funding case, its biggest victims were TPC and PLFI. The NIA has announced the reward on several militants, including PLFI supremo Dinesh Gop and TPC supremo Brajesh Ganjhu. Many leaders of the big militant organizations are also on the NIA radar in different cases. NIA is on the lookout for CPI (Maoist) politburo members Prashant Bose, Prayag Manjhi, TPC's Bhikhan Ganjhu, Mukesh Ganjhu and Nageshwar Ganjhu. Ravindra Ganjhu's squad is on the NIA's target in the case involving the murder of four policemen and the subsequent terror funding of the Chandwa case of Latehar.
Home Ministry report also calls them ‘dangerous’
According to the Ministry of Home Affairs, small groups separated from the CPI (Maoist) are proving more dangerous when cases of the left wing extremism are considered in the state. Garhwa, Latehar, Chatra, Hazaribagh, Khunti, Lohardaga and Palamu are the main districts including the capital Ranchi where these small groups have influence. These splinter groups have carried out more than 605 incidents in the last four years. They are also responsible for the 57 percent deaths that were caused in Naxal violence.
The Home Ministry has advised to target these small organizations. In addition, the police have been advised to run operations against the Maoists and militants of Jharkhand Regional Committee, East Bihar-Northeast Jharkhand Special Area Committee, and Bihar Jharkhand Odisha Border Regional Committee.
In the recent past, Jharkhand DGP MV Rao in Dumka has given clear instructions to the police officers that they should not be deterred from shooting at armed criminals and killing them. He told the police officers that if there is a correct encounter, then they need not worry, they will be supported. The DGP said that the criminal who has come out in the open with a weapon has not come out to do anything sacred; if his purpose is to kill someone, then there is no problem in killing that criminal.
How many Naxalites have been arrested so far?
According to Jharkhand Police Headquarters, arrests of Naxalites and militants have been made continuously in the last 3 years.
Organization/ year
| 2018 | 2019 | 2020 (till October) |
| CPI Maoist | 168 | 132 | 135 |
| PLFI | 122 | 81 | 116 |
| TPC | 76 | 46 | 50 |
| JJMP | 28 | 23 | 21 |
| SJMS | 04 | 10 | 00 |
| SPM | 08 | 00 | 00 |
| JTG and RCC | 01 | 00 | 00 |
The Naxalites associated with the CPI (Maoist) have been arrested the most. 168 Naxals had been arrested in the year 2018, 132 in 2019 and 135 till October this year. Similarly, 122 Naxalites associated with PLFI were arrested in the year 2018. This number was 81 last year and 116 PLFI Naxalites have been arrested this year. In 2018, 76 Naxalites of TPC were arrested, 46 in 2019 and 50 TPC Naxalites were arrested till October in 2020. Similarly, 72 JJMP Naxalites have been arrested in a span of three years. In addition to this, 23 people from other small Naxalite organizations have also been arrested.
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