In a major operation, a compact team of the elite CoBRA Battalion and the State police on Saturday apprehended ten Naxals, including four key functionaries of banned Communist Party of India (Maoist). Acting on Intelligence generated by the CoBRA, a small team of the elite anti-Naxal force apprehended secretary of Magadh Zone and Member of Bihar Regional Committee, Sanjeevan Baitha alias Shravanji, Treasurer of Magadh Zone, Gorelal Ramani, who carried a reward of Rs3 lakh on his head, sub-zonal members Umesh Yadav and Basant Yadav from Gaya.
Besides these four top Naxal commanders, five other operatives, including Rajender Yadav, Akhilesh Das alias Paltaji, Basant Manjhi alias Ganuri Manjhi and Sanjay Yadav were nabbed from the house of Ramashish Yadav under Koch police station in Gaya. Following a lead provided by the arrested Maoists, another active member of the CPI (Maoist) Sunil Kumar Sinha was also arrested from a locality under Civil lines police station in Gaya.
During interrogation by the State police, the arrested Naxal leaders revealed that they were involved in all the major incidents that took place in North Magadh area during the last few years. Troops have also recovered three country-made guns, 44 rounds of .315 bore ammunition, cash and Naxal literature. “The achievement of the CoBRA team in apprehension of top Naxal commander assumes more significance as the team comprised of only five members of CoBRA and members of State police, which undertook an operation involving a great deal of risk and the team displayed immense courage in the face of adversity,” the CRPF said in a statement here on Monday.