The launch of the offensive is significant as Jharkhand Chief Minister Shibu Soren had initially shown reluctance against such operations in his state, but later agreed to it following pressure from the Centre, state opposition and tribal groups.

Incidentally, the Maoists claim that their fight is against injustice meted out to tribals and have over the years set up bases in the tribal-dominated forest areas.

Last month, Union Home Minister P Chidambaram held a meeting in Kolkata to chalk out the strategy for a joint operation to flush out the rebels. West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, two Deputy Chief Ministers of Jharkhand Raghubar Das and Sudesh Mahato and senior officials of the Bihar government had attended the meet.

The joint operation has been launched in Purulia and West Midnapore districts of West Bengal and Kolhan, a forest area comprising parts of West Singhbhum and East Singhbhum districts in Jharkhand. West Bengal DGP Bhupinder Singh, confirming the joint operation with the Jharkhand Police and the CRPF, told The Indian Express, “A lot of exchange of fire has taken place but there has been no casualty from our side. We believe there had been casualties in the Maoists’ side. Usually they take their bodies away (while fleeing).”

“We unearthed 10 land mines and demolished a training camp of the CPI(Maoist) in Pizir forest,” said West Singhbhum SP Akhilesh Kumar Jha. The operation carried out on Tuesday by the forces was backed by two choppers of the Indian Air Force.

Special CRPF DG Vijay Raman, who has been coordinating the anti-Naxal offensive with the states, held a meeting with top police officials of Jharkhand in Jamshedpur on Wednesday. “We have chalked our strategy to continue operation in the Kolhan belt,” said a senior officer of Jharkhand police, who did not want to be named.

About two months ago, the West Bengal Police along with Orissa Police launched a similar operation in Mayurbhanj district of Orissa and the adjoining West Midnapore district in West Bengal.

The Maoists, meanwhile, have hit back in Simdega district, neighbouring West Singhbhum. On Tuesday night, an armed squad of a dozen Maoist cadres encircled the house of the JMM’s Bano Block president Birsa Badaik (38) in Nawagaon village, and shot him dead. Simdega SP Durga Oraon said the killing was related to a turf battle with the Naxalites over ‘levy collection’, which is a major source of money for the rebels.

The murder follows the killing of a man who was at the forefront of a villagers’ resistance movement against the rebels in East Singhbhum. More than 100 Maoists raided Dainmari village on Sunday night and killed Bindu Banra, a member of the Nagrik Suraksha Samiti (NSS). They also set four houses on fire, including Banra’s.