"My father wanted to surrender. But he was shot dead in a fake encounter”, says Chandan Paswan, son of late Suresh Paswan alias Badka Da, zonal commander of CPI( Maoist).

”Encounter was fake. Had an encounter taken place, an exchange of bullets occurred. But the truth is after he surrendered, he was shot dead”, says Santosh Yadav, son-in-law of late Ajay Yadav alias Nandu.

Chandan Paswan and Santosh Yadav are relatives of two among five top CPI( Maoist) comrades who were allegedly shot dead by the security forces in an encounter along the border of Chatra and Palamau on Monday.

They have blamed the police - security forces for shooting them in a “fake encounter”.

“We will approach the National Human Rights Commission to seek justice”, said Santosh Yadav on Tuesday. They alleged that all five Maoists had surrendered before the police. Yet, they were shot dead. “ The police described it as an encounter”.

Jharkhand DGP Ajay Kumar Singh has countered them saying that they were raising baseless allegations. “ What proof do they have to establish their allegation that they died in the fake encounter”, says DGP Singh.

Santosh Yadav claimed that Zonal Commander Ajay Yadav has been living peacefully in his home since 2000. “ But the police always kept the pressure and he re-joined the Naxal group,” says Santosh Yadav.

Notably, in Nawadih forest along Chatra- Palamau border under Lawalong police station in Chatra on Sunday- Monday wee hours, according to the police, a battle of bullets took place between Maoists and security forces. Five top Maoists were killed.

Among them, two Suresh Paswan alias Badka Da and Ajit Oraon alias Charlish Ganjhu were most wanted and carried an award of Rs 25 lakh on their head. The rest three shot dead were Ajay Yadav alias Nandu, Amar Ganjhu alias Aman and Sanjit Bhuiyan. 

According to the police, their death in the encounter had smashed the spine of the CPI( Maoist) outfit in Jharkhand- Bihar.