India, Jan. 23 -- Top Maoist leader Patiram Majhi, who was carrying a cumulative bounty of Rs.2.35 crore, was among 16 Naxals killed in a gunfight with security forces in Jharkhand's West Singhbhum district on Thursday, officials familiar with the matter said on Thursday, dealing a decisive blow to Left Wing Extremism (LWE) just months ahead of the Union government's deadline to eliminate Naxalism from the country by March 31, 2026.

According to officials familiar with the matter, Maoist central committee member (CCM) Majhi, alias Anal-da alias Toofan alias Ramesh, and his 14 aides were killed during a joint operation by the Jharkhand police and the CRPF's elite 209 CoBRA battalion as part of "Operation Meghaburu" in Kumdi area of Sarand...