BHUBANESWAR/KORAPUT:In a major breakthrough, the Crime Branch of State Police has arrested hardcore Maoist Madabi Bandi in connection with the February landmine blast at Sunki in which eight police personnel were killed.Bandi, an explosive expert, was nabbed by a team of the Crime Branch and Koraput Police from Narayanpatna block of the district.
Special DG, Crime Branch, Bijay Kumar Sharma said Bandi was among the three to four persons who had carried out the blast that was triggered when police drivers were travelling to Angul from Koraput for training.Bandi was inducted into the Maoist fold at the age of 20 and had received training in explosives when he was working in Dantewada region of Chhattisgarh. He was also trained by Andrew and Suresh, two top leaders of the outlawed outfit.
Sharma said the accused returned to Odisha where he was involved in a series of murder, blast and attack cases. There are at least 15 cases against him in the last three to four years in Narayanpatna, Bandhugaon and Dasmantpur police stations. “Arrest of Bandi was possible because of the hard work of Koraput police led by the SP,” Sharma said.
He was produced before a local court. After the blast, the State Government had entrusted the investigation to the Crime Branch which had formed a special team for the purpose.