The Hazaribagh police has arrested three members of a group of criminals, who used to collect levy and take ransom impersonating as Maoists, on Sunday from Kharna area of Vishnugarh police station.
The DSP Rural, Satish Kumar Jha, said that a group of criminals gave a call to lok Nath Mahto of Tatijharia about one month ago and demanded levy of Rs5 lakh from him. After getting this threatening call of levy he immediately reached Tatijharia police station and lodged a complaint against unknown people giving the mobile number from which the call was made. Tatijharia police lodged his complaint and started investigation. During investigation it became clear that the mobile number is of Chhattisgarh State but the call was made locally. Police told loknath Mahto to inform them when the next call will come from this number.
Jha said that as the police got information of another phone call to Mahto they started making a fullproof plan to nab the said Maoists. As per the direction of police, Mahto finally settled the amount at Rs2 lakh and asked them to tell the spot where he will have to come with the amount.
The police team spread near the spot and as criminals reached the area, the team arrested the three criminals. The criminals are — loknath Yadav, Mahendra Mahto and Prakash Yadav — all residents of Vishnugarh block. They confessed that they had collected the levy and ransom amount from various persons of this area in the name of Maoists.
DSP Jha said that during the investigation police has also got some clue of different incidents in which other members of this group were also involved. It seems that it is a group of criminals who were taking advantage of the fear of left ultra groups. The arrested criminals have been sent to JP Central Jail.