Constable Praneswar Koch of the Central Reserve Police Force’s 209 COBRA unit was martyred during an anti-Naxal operation in Jharkhand’s Bokaro district, officials said on Wednesday.

The 33-year-old jawan, hailing from Magur Mari village in Kokrajhar district of Assam, sustained bullet injuries during a fierce gunfight with Naxals early Tuesday morning. He later succumbed to his injuries.

The joint operation, conducted by the CRPF and Jharkhand Police, began around 6:30 am on Tuesday. During the encounter, security forces gunned down CPI (Maoist) sub-zonal commander Kunwar Manjhi, who carried a bounty of ₹5 lakh. An AK-47 rifle was recovered from the spot.

Bokaro is classified as a Naxal-affected district in Jharkhand, and operations are frequently launched to counter Maoist activities in the region.

CRPF Director General GP Singh paid tribute on social media, stating that the force salutes Koch’s sacrifice and remains committed to eliminating Naxalism.

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma also mourned the loss, calling Koch “Assam’s braveheart” and assuring full support to the martyr’s family.