UP ATS Eliminates Naxal Leader Brijesh Ganjhu in Varanasi Encounter

The UP Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) eliminated Brijesh Ganjhu, supreme leader of the banned Naxal organisation Tritiya Prastuti Committee (TSPC), in an encounter in Varanasi on September 20. Ganjhu had been absconding for nearly two decades and carried a combined reward of ₹30 lakh announced by the National Investigation Agency and Jharkhand Police. Over 50 criminal cases, including murder, kidnapping, and extortion, were registered against him.

Based on intelligence that Naxal operatives from Jharkhand were entering Uttar Pradesh, ATS teams were deployed in border areas of Mirzapur and Sonbhadra. When ATS personnel spotted two motorcycle riders near Lanka Maidan in Ramnagar police station area, the riders opened fire. During the retaliatory action, Ganjhu was eliminated. Two police officers, Deputy Superintendent Vipin Kumar Rai and Head Constable Nitendra Krishna, were hit but protected by bulletproof jackets. The DGP announced a ₹2 lakh reward for the ATS team.