2 policemen held for ‘supplying’ ammunition to Maoists in Bastar

Raipur: An assistant sub-inspector (ASI) and a head constable in Sukma district were arrested on Monday over their alleged involvement in selling and supplying ammunition

Published on: Jun 9, 2020, 24:21:25 IST

By Ritesh Mishra

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Raipur: An assistant sub-inspector (ASI) and a head constable in Sukma district were arrested on Monday over their alleged involvement in selling and supplying ammunition to Maoists in the Bastar region, the Chhattisgarh Police said.

“We have been watching this gang for long time, and a few more people are under the scanner,” DM Awasthi, Chhattisgarh’s director general of police (DGP), said.

Sukma police have arrested ASI Anand Jatav and head constable Subhash Singh based on the ongoing investigation, Bastar inspector general Sunderaj P said.“We are not disclosing more details and modus operandi because we are questioning them and more arrests could be made,” he added.

Officials said the two personnel allegedly forged records of cartridge stocks, fudged numbers, and sold the stock not shown in records to the banned Communist Party of India (Maoist).

Four middlemen have already been arrested in connection with the racket. “On basis of information we got on June 4, two of middlemen were arrested; they told us that two persons from Kanker district were supplying them ammunition. We have arrested them on Sunday,” a police officer posted in Sukma, who did not want to be named, said.

Darshan Padda, the secretary of Pratapur Area Committee of the CPI(Maoist) group in Kanker district, was in touch with the middlemen, who received commission on every consignment, this official said.

Sukma superintendent of police (SP) Shalabh Sinha said officials are working on all angles. “...we are expecting something big will come out...,” he said.

An Indian Police Service officer, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said police personnel are not told to bring back cartridges after encounters against Maoists in deep jungles.

“...this helps them to hide some cartridges… Earlier too, there were complaints that policemen were supplying cartridges to Maoists...Now, after every anti-Maoist operation, each and every personnel is thoroughly checked...But this is different case,” he said.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Ritesh Mishra
Ritesh Mishra is the State Correspondent for Chhattisgarh with Hindustan Times. He reports on Maoism, internal security, politics, mining, governance, and major developments shaping the state. Based in Raipur, he has covered Chhattisgarh since 2016, reporting extensively from the Bastar region and other conflict-affected areas. With nearly two decades of experience in journalism, Ritesh has built a reputation for ground reporting from some of India's most challenging terrains. His coverage spans Left-Wing Extremism, counter-insurgency operations, elections, tribal affairs, environmental issues, infrastructure, mining, and socio-economic developments. He has reported on major security operations, policy initiatives, wildlife crime, and the changing dynamics of conflict and development in Central India. Before moving to Chhattisgarh, Ritesh spent eight years reporting from Madhya Pradesh, covering politics, administration, crime, development, and social issues. Throughout his career, he has reported on various forms of extremism in Central India, combining field reporting with in-depth analysis to produce accurate, balanced, and impactful journalism. Prior to joining Hindustan Times, Ritesh worked with The Pioneer and The Free Press Journal, where he covered a wide range of beats and honed his skills in political, investigative, and field reporting. His reporting is marked by exclusive stories, extensive fieldwork, and a commitment to factual, on-the-ground journalism that brings complex issues to a wider audience.Read More

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