Notably, Maoists are now largely restricted to the Saranda jungles in Jharkhand, as they have been wiped out from other pockets of the state.

According to an estimate, around 60–65 Maoists are believed to be hiding in the Saranda region, where they have planted thousands of IEDs, posing a major challenge for security forces.

The state police launched a joint operation in the Kolhan and Saranda jungles of Chaibasa in November 2022.

Since November 2022, six security personnel have lost their lives and 20 others have been critically injured, besides nearly 22 civilians who have died and a dozen others critically injured in alleged IED blasts triggered by Maoists in the Chaibasa jungles.

The joint operation, conducted by personnel from the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and Jharkhand Police, was launched following intelligence inputs about the presence of top Maoist leaders in the region, including Misir Besra, a senior CPI (Maoist) commander with a bounty of ₹1 crore on his head.