As many as 17 Maoists were arrested by security personnel in insurgency-hit Dantewada and Sukma districts of restive Bastar region of Chhattisgarh, police said on Friday.
Based on a precise tip-off, a joint team of District Force (DF) and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) nabbed three rebels identified as Range Committee President Poyami Hunga (38), Militia Commander Madkami Baman (30) and local Guerrilla Squad (lGS) member Vekko Kailash (25), said Dantewada Superintendent of Police (SP) Kamlochan Kashyap, adding that arrested Maoists were active in Katekalyan Area Committee of Darbha division.
Madkami and Kailash were carrying cash reward of Rs 1 lakh each on their head, added Kashyap.
The SP further informed that arrested cadres were associated with the outlawed organization for the last 10 years and were allegedly involved in ambushes, triggering blast, torching public transport vehicles, firing on security personnel, damaging road connectivity and others.
In another case, security personnel nabbed as many as 14 rebels in Sukma district along with two tiffin bombs, detonators, wires and other items, Singh said.