Chatra (PTI): Two Naxalites were killed in a police encounter in Jharkhand’s Ganiotri forest, around 170 km from Ranchi, officials said on Thursday.

The two are Harendra Ganjhu, the sub-zonal commander of the banned Tritiya Sammelan Prastuti Committee (TSPC), and his associate Ishwar Ganjhu.

Another Naxalite, Gopal Ganjhu, was arrested at the scene, the officials said, adding that encounter happened on Wednesday night.

Jharkhand DGP Anurag Gupta confirmed the deaths of Ganjhu (also known by several aliases, including Ramdas Bhogta and Netaji) and Ishwar Ganjhu (alias Ghutari Ganjhu) during the encounter.

The two were involved in the ambush and killing of two Chatra district force personnel, Sukhan Ram and Sikandar Singh.

During the encounter, police recovered an AK-47 rifle, a country-made firearm, three live AK-47 bullets, a motorcycle, and four mobile phones.

Harendra Ganjhu had 48 pending cases against him, while Ishwar Ganjhu had about a dozen cases.

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Chennai (PTI): Before giving birth, she had already delivered a mandate—a symbol of hope for Thiru Vi Ka Nagar.

Echoing Delhi’s 2013 “common citizen” political churn associated with the rise of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), an eight-month-pregnant homemaker, M R Pallavi, has been elected as an MLA from Chennai’s Thiru Vi Ka Nagar constituency, emerging as one of the notable first-time faces of the Vijay-led TVK in the recently held Tamil Nadu Assembly elections.

In the narrow lanes of Thiru Vi Ka Nagar, a steady stream of media personnel has been making their way to Pallavi’s residence—a scene reminiscent of the result day in Delhi when journalists thronged the modest home of Rakhi Birla, who had won from Mangolpuri on an AAP ticket.

Pallavi, 36, a homemaker educated up to class XII, defeated the DMK candidate K S Ravichandran by a margin of 22,333 votes in the reserved Thiru Vi Ka Nagar Assembly constituency.

Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam emerged as the single largest party by winning 108 seats, while DMK and AIADMK got 59 and 47, respectively.

Pallavi’s victory has drawn attention due to her personal circumstances. She campaigned extensively while eight months pregnant, going door-to-door to reach voters.

According to local accounts, she even fainted once during the campaign but continued her outreach.

She has not spoken to the media following her victory, as doctors have advised her to rest. Her husband, Rajesh, briefly recounted her campaign efforts.

A self-professed admirer of actor-turned-politician Vijay, Pallavi joined TVK soon after its formation and is now among its first-time legislators.

Doctors have advised her to be hospitalised around May 20, as she is expecting her second child. Ahead of that, voters in Thiru Vi Ka Nagar have entrusted her with representing them in the state Assembly.

Political observers say the rise of candidates like Pallavi signals a possible shift in Tamil Nadu’s political landscape, with voters backing a new party and candidates from non-traditional backgrounds.