RANCHI: In a major breakthrough, security forces arrested three hardcore Maoists carrying a combined bounty of Rs 22 lakh during an anti-Maoist operation in Jharkhand's Saraikela-Kharsawan district.
The arrested Maoists are Madan Mahto, who carried a bounty of Rs 15 lakh, his wife Meena, who had a Rs 2 lakh bounty, and Ravi Sardar, who had a Rs 5 lakh bounty on his head.
Jharkhand Police headquarters confirmed the arrests. A large cache of weapons, including three AK-47 rifles, was recovered from the trio.
According to police sources, a joint team of the Jharkhand Police and the CRPF received intelligence that active members of the banned CPI (Maoist) were present in the Saraikela-Kharsawan area.
Acting on the tip-off, a special team was formed and an operation was launched. During the operation, security personnel surrounded and arrested the three Maoists.
The trio face charges related to Naxal violence, attacks on security forces, extortion (levy collection), and several other serious offences.
All three were members of a squad led by Asim Mandal, a Maoist commander carrying a bounty of Rs 1 crore.
Madan Mahto, alias Shankar (Charan), is a native of Karmasol (Charan) village under Salboni police station in West Bengal's Paschim Medinipur district. He had been active in the Jangalmahal, Belpahari, Dalma and Kolhan regions along the Jharkhand-West Bengal border.
Police said he played a key role in commanding armed squads, planning attacks on security forces, recruiting new cadres and strengthening the Maoist network.
Meena, also an active member of the banned outfit, operated in the forest areas along the Jharkhand-West Bengal border.
She was wanted for acting as a courier, arranging logistics, supporting squad operations and participating in conspiracies against security forces. She was also linked to the Maoist network led by Asim Mandal.
Ravi Sardar, a Regional Committee member and commander of the banned CPI (Maoist), had been active in the forests of Dalma, Kolhan, Saranda and the Jharkhand-West Bengal border region.
According to security agencies, he was involved in planning attacks on security forces, planting improvised explosive devices (IEDs), recruiting new cadres and expanding the organisation, while working alongside senior Maoist leaders Misir Besra and Asim Mandal.
The arrests come days after 16 Maoists surrendered before the police in Ranchi on July 29. Police said only about 20 active Maoists now remain in Jharkhand.
The once Maoist-dominated Saranda forests are now believed to have only six active cadres.