As many as 14 Left-wing extremists have been nabbed in two separate anti-Naxal operations jointly carried out by the Chhattisgarh Police and the CRPF. And the arrests followed last week’s deadly ambush on CRPF personnel in Sukma.
According to information received at the state police headquarters in Raipur, 11 Maoists were arrested from Balrampur district, some 370 km away from the state capital. “A joint team from the state police and CRPF was on an area domination exercise in Lahsunpath forest area when the encounter began.
Later, the ultras fled the spot and we were able to arrest 11 Naxals, including four women cadre,” said a senior police official.
The police have claimed that one country made pistol and a rifle were recovered from the ultras.
Senior police officials said in view of next month’s general elections, the district police chiefs of Naxal-infested Bastar region have been asked to stage the area domination exercise more frequently.