Five Maoist extremists arrested in Bihar

Maoist literature and some documents were seized during the raids. Police expected more rebels to be arrested.

Five suspected Maoist guerrillas, including an area commander, were arrested near Patna on Wednesday, police said.

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Four Maoists and an area commander, identified as Vinay, were arrested during raids in rural areas around Patna as part of combat operation, a police official said.

Maoist literature and some documents were also seized from them. Raids were on Wednesday evening and police expected more rebels to be arrested, he said.

Police suspect that Maoists have gathered in villages here to chalk out a strategy ahead of the shutdown call given in the neighbouring state of Jharkhand by the outlawed Communist Party of India-Maoist for Wednesday and Thursday to protest against alleged police atrocities on "innocent poor and downtrodden people" there.

"Security across Bihar, particularly in Patna and areas bordering Jharkhand, has been tightened to keep a close watch on the insurgents," the official said.

The East Central Railway (ECR) cancelled several trains and changed routes of some others in view of the Jharkhand strike.