Varanasi encounter: TPC Maoist chief Brijesh Ganjhu, ₹30 lakh bounty, killed by UP ATS
Synopsis
The chief of Jharkhand's banned TPC Maoist outfit, Brijesh Ganjhu — who carried a ₹30 lakh combined bounty from the Jharkhand government and the NIA — was killed in an early-morning encounter with the UP ATS near Ramnagar, Varanasi. The operation exposes how Maoist networks from Jharkhand have extended their footprint deep into Uttar Pradesh, raising fresh questions about inter-state coordination in tackling left-wing extremism.
Key Takeaways
Brijesh Ganjhu , chief of banned Maoist outfit Tritiya Prastuti Committee (TPC) , was killed in a UP ATS encounter in Varanasi on 20 September 2026 .
Ganjhu carried a cumulative bounty of ₹30 lakh — ₹25 lakh from the Jharkhand government and ₹5 lakh from the NIA.
The encounter took place at approximately 5 am IST near Tengra Mod in the Ramnagar police station area.
Bullets fired by Ganjhu struck the bulletproof jackets of DSP Vipin Rai and Head Constable Nitendra Krishna ; both survived.
One associate of Ganjhu fled the scene and remains at large; two pistols and cartridges were recovered.
Ganjhu was wanted for murder, extortion, illegal arms activities, and terror financing linked to the TPC's coal-belt levy network.
The chief of the Jharkhand-based banned Maoist outfit Tritiya Prastuti Committee (TPC), Brijesh Ganjhu alias Gopal Singh Bhokta, was shot dead in an encounter with the Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) in Varanasi on the morning of 20 September 2026. Ganjhu carried a cumulative bounty of ₹30 lakh — announced separately by the Jharkhand government and the National Investigation Agency (NIA) — and was wanted in multiple cases spanning murder, extortion, illegal arms activities, and terror funding.
How the Encounter Unfolded
According to security agencies, the operation began after the UP ATS received credible intelligence that Ganjhu was travelling by motorcycle through the Ramnagar area of Varanasi, heading toward Mughalsarai. A team laid an ambush near Tengra Mod in the Ramnagar police station jurisdiction at approximately 5 am IST.
When ATS personnel signalled Ganjhu to stop, he allegedly opened fire on the team. Officers retaliated, and Ganjhu sustained bullet injuries during the exchange. He was rushed to a district hospital, where doctors declared him dead on arrival.
Officers Under Fire, Associate Escapes
ATS Deputy Superintendent of Police Vipin Rai confirmed that bullets fired by Ganjhu struck the bulletproof jackets worn by both himself and Head Constable Nitendra Krishna. Neither officer suffered serious injury. One of Ganjhu's associates, who was present at the scene, managed to flee and remains at large, according to officials.
Security forces recovered two pistols, live cartridges, and spent shells from the encounter site. The body has been kept at the post-mortem facility of Lal Bahadur Shastri Hospital in Varanasi.
Who Was Brijesh Ganjhu
A native of Lawalong in Jharkhand's Chatra district, Ganjhu had featured on the wanted lists of multiple security and investigative agencies for years. The Jharkhand government had announced a reward of ₹25 lakh for information leading to his arrest, while the NIA had separately declared a reward of ₹5 lakh.
Investigators allege that Ganjhu played a central role in a levy-extortion network that systematically targeted businesses involved in coal mining, transportation, and contracting operations across Jharkhand and neighbouring states. The NIA was also pursuing him in connection with a terror-financing case linked to the TPC.
What Happens Next
Following Ganjhu's death, security agencies in Jharkhand have begun reviewing case records pertaining to his alleged Maoist activities. Investigators are expected to build on the intelligence gathered from the encounter to trace his network, including the associate who fled the scene. The elimination of the TPC chief is likely to disrupt the outfit's command structure, though analysts caution that such organisations often reconstitute leadership rapidly.
Point of View
And losing its chief will disrupt that chain, at least temporarily. But the encounter also raises a harder question: how did a top NIA-wanted Maoist, from a Jharkhand-based outfit, end up travelling through Varanasi at 5 am? The geography suggests the TPC's network is considerably wider than its Jharkhand label implies, and that inter-state intelligence sharing between UP and Jharkhand may not have been functioning at full capacity before this operation. The fleeing associate is the thread investigators must now pull urgently — he likely holds intelligence on the outfit's finances, safe houses, and succession plans.
NationPress
20 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was Brijesh Ganjhu and why was he wanted?
Brijesh Ganjhu, also known as Gopal Singh Bhokta, was the chief of the Jharkhand-based banned Maoist outfit Tritiya Prastuti Committee (TPC). He was wanted by multiple agencies for alleged involvement in murder, extortion, illegal arms activities, and terror financing — particularly for running a levy-extortion network targeting coal mining and transportation businesses.
What was the bounty on Brijesh Ganjhu?
Ganjhu carried a cumulative bounty of ₹30 lakh. The Jharkhand government had announced ₹25 lakh for information leading to his arrest, while the NIA had separately declared a reward of ₹5 lakh.
How did the Varanasi encounter take place?
The UP ATS received intelligence that Ganjhu was travelling by motorcycle near the Ramnagar area of Varanasi toward Mughalsarai. Officers laid an ambush near Tengra Mod at around 5 am. When signalled to stop, Ganjhu allegedly opened fire; ATS personnel retaliated, and he sustained fatal bullet injuries.
Were any security personnel injured in the encounter?
No officers were seriously injured. According to DSP Vipin Rai, bullets fired by Ganjhu struck the bulletproof jackets of both himself and Head Constable Nitendra Krishna, preventing injury.
What happens after Ganjhu's death?
Security agencies in Jharkhand have begun reviewing cases registered against Ganjhu and his alleged Maoist network. Investigators are also searching for the associate who fled the encounter site, whose capture could yield intelligence on the TPC's finances and future leadership.
