Ranchi police are carrying out search operations in hinterlands of the State capital to arrest extremists whose locations were disclosed by Ram Mohan Singh Munda, the Maoist Zonal Commander of Bundu-Chandil sub zone.
“This arrest is a major success for the police and a severe blow to CPI (Maoist) in the Saranda corridor. During interrogation, Munda has divulged some crucial information about infamous Kundan Pahan and other wanted extremists. Operations are being conducted in the forests to nab extremists on the basis of information we have,” stated Senior Superintendent of Police Kuldeep Dwivedi.
Munda also revealed the strategies decided upon during the third plenum, a congregation of Maoist leaders held from July 27 to August 04 last year. According to Munda, Maoists had planned to include students in the outfit and form Kisan Krantikari Committees and women committees in 50 villages of Chandil and 15 villages in Chalkad.
Extending help, legal or otherwise, to incarcerated Maoists, targeting PlFI cadres and denouncing community policing among the rural populace also featured in their strategies. “Extremists have not made much progress on these fronts,” assured Ranchi SSP.
Munda, with Rs 10 lakh bounty on his head by the virtue of his position in the outfit, was arrested on Friday, along with Maoist cadres Sakra lohra and Panchu lohra, after an encounter with Ranchi police and CRPF forces in Bundiaru village of Rahe block.
On Thursday, two police teams, one led by ASP (Operations) Harshpal Singh and another by Bundu SDPO Pawan Kumar were dispatched to Bundiaru after receiving tip-off that several wanted Maoists will be congregating in the village at Sakra’s house to plan a major incident.
After exchanging fire, police surrounded the village and successfully arrested him on Friday morning. He also pointed out the location of 25 can bombs which were planted in series and were to be used against police forces. The bombs were diffused without delay.
A huge cache of arms and ammunition was also seized from the possession of the arrested extremist. One self-loading rife, one .303 rifle, one pistol, 157 rounds 7.62 mm cartridges, 13 rounds .303 bullets, 75 bullets used in AK-47, along with an electronic detonator, magazines and magazine pouch. The source of these weapons is being verified, stated Dwivedi.
Munda is wanted in 49 cases of murder, Arms Act violations and bank robbery registered against him in police stations within and outside Ranchi. He was involved in murders of MlA Ramesh Singh Munda, DSP Pramod Kumar, SPO Praveen, bank robbery of Rs 5 crores and one kilogram of gold from branch of ICICI Bank in Tamar and several police encounters.