8 Naxals involved in attack on CRPF personnel arrested

Eight Naxals, allegedly involved in the deadly attack on CRPF personnel last month, were today arrested from two places in Chhattisgarh's Sukma district, police said. With this, the number of ultras arrested for the April 24 attack has risen to 17, officials said.

Five of them were apprehended from Chintalnar police station limits, while the rest from Chintagufa police station area during joint search operations carried out by CoBRA and district police force, Jitendra Shukla, Sukma's Additional Superintendent of Police, told PTI. CoBRA (Commando Battalion for Resolute Action) is a specialised unit of CRPF.

Among the arrested rebels, Madkam Kesha (25), Madvi Kosa (30) and Tati Kosa (25) were associated with the Dandakaranya Adivasi Kisaan Mazdoor Sangthan (DAKMS), a wing of Maoists, while Oyam Hadma (21) and Kunjam Vichem (25) were members of 'Jan Militia', a special unit of Naxals, the senior officer said.

The rest were identified as Rava Dewa (25), Kunjam Aaytu (50) and Madkam Bheema (52), all members of Gram Party Committee of Maoists, the ASP said. These rebels were part of the Maoist group that attacked a contingent of CRPF personnel, belonging to 74th battalion of the para-military force, in Burkapal area of Sukma district. Twenty-five troopers were killed in the April 24 assault, Shukla said.

Besides, they were reportedly part of the Maoist squad that killed a former Sarpanch of Burkapal on March 7 this year. They all were also allegedly involved in several other Naxal incidents, including attacks on police teams, triggering IED blasts, murder, loot and arson, he said.

He said they were produced before a local court which sent them in 14-day judicial remand. With this, the number of ultras arrested for the April 24 attack, the deadliest assault by Maoists targeting security forces this year, has risen to 17, the officer added.