As many as 18 Naxals allegedly involved in the deadly attack on CRPF personnel in April this year, were on Thursday arrested from two places in an insurgency-hit Sukma district, senior police official said.
10 cadres were apprehended from Chintagufa police station area while eight others from Chintalnar police station limits by a joint team of security forces, Deputy Inspector General of Police (Dantewada range) Sundarraj P said.
The composite squad of District Reserve Guard (DRG), district force and CoBRA (Commando Battalion for Resolute Action) was out on a search operation in the forests of Chintagufa and Chintalnar.
Podiyam Kosa (28), Kawasi Joga (28), Madvi Aaytu (23) and Oyam Mukka (22) were key cadres among the arrested, he said.
Kosa and Joga were active as Maoist janmilitia commander and deputy janmilitia commander respectively. Similarly, while Aaytu was active as commander of Chetna Natya Mandli (CNM)- a frontal wing of Maoist, Mukka was CNM deputy commander.
Rest of the 14 arrested ultras was associated with Dandakaranya Adivasi Kisaan Mazdoor Sangthan (DAKMS) and janatana sarkar squad of Maoists, he said.
They all were allegedly involved in the attack on Central Reserve Police Force personnel, belonging to 74th battalion, on April 24 last, in Burkapal area under Chintagufa police station limits wherein 25 troopers were killed, he added.
Besides, they were also allegedly involved in attack on police party in Minpa area in 2013 and other naxal incidents, including loot, arson, murder and triggering IED blasts, the DIG said.
They were produced before a local court which sent them to jail on judicial remand, he said. With this arrest, so far as many as 47 ultras have been arrested in connection with Burkapal attack, he added.