Hemant Soren on Friday became the first Jharkhand Chief Minister to visit the ‘Budha Pahad' -- once a Maoist hotbed that was freed by security forces after over three decades -- situated near the border with Chhattisgarh, officials said. Mr Soren arrived at the hilltop a little after noon, where the CRPF has now set up a camp, they said.
He is expected to launch a slew of welfare schemes in ‘Budha Pahad', located around 150 km from state capital Ranchi, along the Latehar and Garhwa districts.
Security forces managed to free the area from the grip of Maoists through three special operations that were launched since the beginning of April 2022.
A total of 14 Maoists were killed, while 590 others were either apprehended or had surrendered during these operations, the officials said.
Earlier attempts to drive out the red rebels from ‘Budha Pahad' did not materialise due to its difficult terrain, they added.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
Maoist Leader, Carrying Rs 25 Lakh Bounty, Arrested In Chhattisgarh Amit Shah's Assurance To Families Of Jawans Killed In Anti-Maoist Ops Amit Shah Lauds Chhattisgarh Government For Action Against Maoists Trump Says US Ownership Of Greenland Absolutely Necessary, Nation Responds Allu Arjun Summoned By Hyderabad Police For Questioning In Stampede Case Delta Airline Passenger Gets Frustrated After His First-Class Seat Was Given To Service Dog Israel Acknowledges It Killed ex-Hamas Lader Haniyeh in Iran Explainer-What Is Panama Canal And Why Has Trump Threatened To Take It Over? Two Arrested For Lynching Man Over Stealing Money In Mizoram: Cops Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world.