In a major success under its Operation Mahadev against People’s liberation Front of India (PlFI), Ranchi police arrested one zonal commander and four area commanders of the extremist outfit.
Tulsi Pahan, PlFI zonal commander for Ranchi, along with area commanders Bheem Mahto, alias Mangal Pandey (Bundu-Tamar area), Dev Singh Munda (Jonha North area), Sunil Kachchhap (Jonha South area) and Birsa Mahto alias Bhanu Pratap (Nagri-Tupudana area) were arrested by police forces on Sunday morning. Two PlFI cadres Raja Patar Munda and Mukesh Mahto were also nabbed. All of them have confessed that they have been siphoning levies for sustaining the outfit.
A huge cache of arms and ammunition has also been recovered from the possession of arrested extremists. Two double barrel rifles, three country-made pistols, four country made rifles, 22 cartridges and three slugs of 12 bore, 16 cartridges and two slugs of .315 bore, 55 explosives and five rounds of 7.65 mm. Police has also found 12 mobile phones, PlFI posters and literature, records of levies siphoned in the area and a contacts book. The contacts range from PlFI members to those who were to be targeted for siphoning levies.
Tulsi has been wanted for his involvement in several cases of murder, Arms Act violation, Criminal law (Amendment) Act and more registered against him in Angara, Tatisilwai, Sadar and Dhurwa police stations
“This is a big success for Ranchi police’s biggest move against PlFI. Arrest of the top names in the outfit at once will curb the stronghold it had exerted over certain parts of Ranchi. There are still some who are associated with the outfit, directly or indirectly. They will be apprehended soon so that they are denied the breathing space to set up base once again and to prevent any more criminal acts by cadres who are still free,” stated Senior Superintendent of Police (Ranchi) Kuldeep Dwivedi during a press conference on Monday.
On Saturday, Ranchi police received information that the arrested extremists with 25 to 30 PlFI operatives have converged in Jonha to plan a big incident. On orders from the SSP, a team led by ASP (Operations) Harshpal Singh was dispatched for capturing the extremists.
Noticing the advancing police team, the PlFI extremists tried to flee the site, but three of them, Tulsi, Dev and Raja were arrested by police under Angara police station. They divulged that the escaped extremists are holed up someplace under Nagri police station and are planning to rob a petrol pump there.
Three teams, led by ASP (Operations), Bundu SDPO and DSP, Headquarters-II, left for Nagri to arrest the remaining PlFI operatives. The police parties had to face some resistance here, but succeeded in arresting three more area commanders and a cadre. Search operations were conducted to smoke out the now absconding 20 odd PlFI members.
“These arrests have proved to be crucial in limiting the expanse of PlFI in areas of Silli, Nagri and Angara. Our next targets are now Singh Ji and Rajkumar, who are working with the outfit. Rajkuamr recruits youth in PlFI and Singh Ji trains them in a training camp in Bano. They will also be brought to justice in near future,” stated the SSP.