Acting on a tip off, Ranchi police have arrested three PLFI members including an area commander while they were planning to commit crime in Lapung- Itki area located on the borders of Ranchi and Khunti districts.
Among the nabbed extremists are area commander Kunwar Oroan alias Jainath, Mangra Oroan and Tausif Anwar. A 9 mm pistol, a country-made weapon, cartridges, mobile sets, stolen bike, dresses and other materials were recovered from them.
Rural SP Ashutosh Shekhar informed that the arrests were made in a joint search operation of Ranchi and Khunti police.
As the police team neared them during the operation, the PLFI members hiding in a forest started fleeing away.
Three of them were caught after a chase while remaining members of the squad managed to escape taking advantage of thick forest cover.
The arrested extremists have admitted their involvement in several crimes including murder, loot and extortion. They informed that the squad had gathered in the forest to extort money from government schemes.
Police said that Kunwar Oraon, a resident of Lapung in Ranchi district, was involved in murder of a person named Babu Khan under Nagri police station area in October 2018. He was also accused in the killing of Sukra Oroan, a former PLFI member.
A total of seven cases were registered against him with Nagri, Itki, Lapung and Karra police stations under various laws including IPC, Arms Act and CLA.
It may be noted here that since the beginning of the year Ranchi police are carrying out intensive anti-extremist operations in the sensitive areas of the district.