Five Maoists including a Militia Commander carrying reward of Rs one lakh on his head, were arrested in Chhattisgarh's insurgency-hit Narayanpur district, police said on Thursday.
The cadres were apprehended last evening from the forests of Balebeda village by a joint team of security forces who were out on a search operation, according to Narayanpur Superintendent of Police (SP) Jitendra Shukla.
They are identified as Guddu Ram Wadde (29), the Militia Commander, Chainu Ram Wadde (49), Raju Metami (44), Masia Ram (29) and Jano Maha (19), who is a woman cadre.
Shukla said that the five were allegedly involved in an encounter with security forces that occurred on July 4 this year in Balebeda forest. Two Maoists were killed in that incident.
"A combine squad of District Reserve Guard (DRG), Special Task Force (STF) and Indo Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) was carrying out the operation since the gunfight took place in the area to trace the ultras involved in that encounter," he said.
While Guddu was active as a Balebeda Militia Commander, the rest were working as Militia members, the SP said. Police have seized a muzzle-loading gun from Guddu, he said.