As many as 15 CPI (Maoists) were arrested at Akabkitanr village under Peertand police station in Giridih during a joint operation conducted by Jharkhand Police and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) during last two days.
Giridih SP Surendra Kumar Jha said that he had formed a joint team of ASP (Operations), 154 battalion of CRPF, 203 battalion of CoBRA after he got an information that around 20 CPI (Maoists) were planning to hold a meeting with the villagers with an intention to oppose the ban imposed on Majdoor Sangathan Samiti and increase mass base among them.
The joint team was rushed to the area and nabbed 15 CPI (Maoists) under a strategy framed by the SP. The Maoists did not put up any resistance, the police said.
“A strategy was framed to face minimum risk or loss to the security forces on which jawans moved on, religiously following the standard operation procedure, to trap the rebels and succeeded,” said the SP. This is an ongoing process and the drive will continue till the Maoists are finished completely from Jharkhand,” he added.
Jha said that out of the 15 arrested Maoists, four of them are minors and four women. Other Maoists who were arrested include three wanted Maoists -- Sunil Manjhi, Charlis, Sohan Bhuiyan having a bounty on their heads and Chitranjan Soren, Sujit Hembrom, Raju Rai, Bano Hansda, Surendra Marandi, Sanjyoti Hansda, Geeta Besra, Bahmuni Soren.
Meanwhile, talking to media persons at CRPF camp at Madhuban in Giridih, ADG (Operations) RK Mallick warned Maoists to put their guns down and join the mainstream.
“As their battle is not going to last longer, this is high time that they put their guns down and join the mainstream taking advantage of the State Government’s surrender policy or they will be finished,” said Mallick. “This is probably first example in the country that such a large number of rebels were arrested without any bloodshed and firing a single round of bullet from either side,” he added.
Boosting the morale of the jawans involved in the operation, the ADG also gave appreciation letters to them and said that reward money of Rs 35 lakh will be distributed among them by the SP.
During the operation 5 SlR Rifles with 10 magazines and 369 bullets, Insas Rifle with 3 magazine and 15 bullets, 303 Rifle with 2 magazines, Rs 2.48 lakh cash, 639 bullets, 34 electronic detonators, 2 handgranade, 4 FM Radio, 300 Aadhaar Cards, 50 ATM Cards
15 rebels walk into police net in Giridih and huge number of other articles used by the Maoists were recovered during the last two days.
On Wednesday also, 11 IEDs, 4500 meter detonator cord, 22 electronic detonators, 4 buzzers, 4 digital watches and Naxal literature along with other articles used by Maoists were recovered during a joint operation conducted by CRPF and State Police in the jungles of lugu Pahar at Jogeshwarbihar village in Bokaro following a tip off given by CPI (Maoist) Zonal Commander Charlis alias Mahavir Manjhi arrested from Giridih on Monday.
Charlis, along with two other Maoists was arrested from Akabkitanr village under Peertanr in Giridih in a joint operation conducted by 203 and 154 Battalion Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and State Police on Monday.