Wanted Maoist arrested in Gaya, huge cache of arms and ammunition seized from 3 Bihar districts

PATNA: A Maoist was arrested late Sunday during a search operation conducted at Gaya, Aurangabad, and Banka districts, police said on Monday, adding that a huge haul of arms and ammunition were recovered from his possession

PATNA: A Maoist was arrested late Sunday during a search operation conducted at Gaya, Aurangabad, and Banka districts, police said on Monday, adding that a huge haul of arms and ammunition were recovered from his possession.

The arrested Maoist has been identified as Ashok Singh Bhokta. (Picture for representation)

Gaya senior superintendent of police (SSP) Harpreet Kaur said that acting on a tip-off, a joint team of CRPF and district police raided the hideouts of a wanted Maoist, identified as Ashok Singh Bhokta, and arrested the Maoist from the house of one Lalo Devi at Dukhadpur village in Gaya district.

“A loaded Insas rifle and ₹1.14 lakh cash were recovered from his possession. After interrogating Bokta, police also recovered Chinese-made AK56, AK47 rifles, 397 live cartridges, eight keypad mobile phones, two smartphones, two hard disks, one tab, and four magazines,” the SSP said.

In Banka, two country-made rifles, two hand grenades, and one quintal of explosives from the Pilua forest under the limits of Anandpur police out-post, police said.

During the raids carried out at Aurangabad, a huge cache of arms and ammunition was recovered by a joint team of CRPF district police from a forested area of Murli hill, popularly known as Chakarbandha. Aurangabad superintendent of police (SP) Kantesh Mishra told HT that an assault rifle, two UBGL, 123 live cartridges, a wireless set, six hand grenades, and two magazines were also recovered. “No arrest has been made in this connection so far. A search operation has been initiated to nab the Maoists,” the SP said.

According to the SP, they had specific information that Maoists had hidden arms and ammunition meant to be used against the security forces. “On the basis of credible intelligence inputs, the CRPF jawans and police carried out searches in the forest and made a major haul of arms and ammunition. A case has been lodged against six named and 15 unknown Maoists,” Mishra said.