Ranchi, September 21, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Former Jharkhand MLA Ganesh Ganjhu has questioned the killing of his brother, Tritiya Sammelan Prastuti Committee (TSPC) chief Brijesh Ganjhu, in an encounter in Uttar Pradesh’s Varanasi and demanded a CBI probe into the incident.
Ganesh Ganjhu, former MLA from Simaria, alleged on Monday that his brother, also known as Gopal Singh Bhokta, was picked up from Jharkhand’s Chatra district and subsequently taken to Uttar Pradesh, where he was killed as part of a conspiracy.
He urged Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren to order an impartial CBI investigation into the circumstances surrounding Brijesh Ganjhu’s death.
According to the Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (STF), Brijesh Ganjhu was killed in an encounter in Varanasi on Sunday morning. The Maoist leader carried a reward of Rs 25 lakh announced by the Jharkhand government and an additional Rs 5 lakh by the National Investigation Agency (NIA).
The body of the slain extremist was brought to his native village, Luttu Sohawan, under Lawalong police station limits in Chatra district on Monday.
Speaking to reporters, Ganesh Ganjhu questioned the police account of the encounter, particularly the claim that his brother opened fire at the security personnel while riding a motorcycle in Varanasi’s Ramnagar area.
“If he was riding the motorcycle, how could he fire from two pistols simultaneously?” he asked, calling for an independent investigation.
Police, however, have maintained that Brijesh Ganjhu opened fire at the security team during the operation and was injured in retaliatory firing. He later succumbed to his injuries and was declared dead by doctors at a hospital.
The former legislator also levelled allegations against the Jharkhand Police, claiming that his brother was initially used in operations against Maoists and was later eliminated. He warned of a phased agitation if the government did not act on his demand for an investigation.
Ganesh Ganjhu further claimed that his brother had been involved in social welfare activities and had served as an elected panchayat representative since 2010. He said Brijesh had worked for underprivileged families and supported the marriages of girls from economically weaker sections.
He also claimed that Brijesh had established the Gopal Singh Bhokta Inter College in Lawalong.
The former MLA said efforts to address Naxalism should focus on its underlying causes and socio-economic factors rather than relying solely on security operations.
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