Nine Naxalites held in Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur

While five Naxalites were arrested from Mandem-Kuprel villages under Farsegarh police station area, four others were held from Madded police station limits.

Bijapur: Nine Naxalites, five of them allegedly involved in triggering an IED blast targeting the car of a police official last month, have been arrested from two places in Chhattisgarh‘s Bijapur district, police said on Wednesday.

While five Naxalites were arrested from Mandem-Kuprel villages under Farsegarh police station area, four others were held from Madded police station limits, the police said in a statement.

---

All the arrested cadres were allegedly involved in the incidents of murder, planting an improvised explosive device (IED) to target security personnel, cutting roads, extorting illegal levy and putting up Maoist posters and banners, it said.

Those held from Farsegarh, identified as Guddu Kumma (25), Budhu Kumma (30), Suresh Oyam (29), Vinod Korsa (25) and Munna Kumma (25), were allegedly involved in triggering an improvised explosive device (IED) blast targeting a car in which two policemen were travelling in Farsegarh area on May 15, it said.

Station House Officer of Farsegarh police station Akash Masih and constable Sanjay, who were in the car, had escaped unhurt, while the blast caused damage to the bonnet of the vehicle, it said.

All five cadres were carrying a reward of Rs 10,000 each on their heads, it said.

Of the four others apprehended from Madded, Lachhu Punem was active as a Madded area committee member of Maoists and carried a reward of Rs 5 lakh on his head, he said.

These four were allegedly trying to plant an IED on both sides of a road near Somanpalli and Bandepara, it said.

Explosive, safety fuse, gelatin sticks, Maoist pamphlets and banners were recovered from them, it said.