RAIPUR: Eight naxals, six of them collectively carrying a reward of Rs 17 lakh on their heads, have been arrested in Chhattisgarh's Sukma district, police said on Friday.
The arrest was made from a forest near Morpalli village under Chintalnar police station limits on Thursday during an "area domination operation" of the CoBRA (Commando Battalion for Resolute Action), an elite unit of the CRPF, and the District Force of police, they said.
Acting on intelligence about movements of naxals in the area, the security forces had launched the operation on November 2, said Sukma Superintendent of Police (SP) Sunil Sharma. The joint squad nabbed eight ultras near Morpalli, 450 km from Raipur, he said.
Of those arrested, Kawasi Raju alias Santu, a `battalion' member, and Kalmu Mada (25), a 'militia company commander', carried rewards of Rs 8 lakh and Rs 5 lakh on their heads, Sharma said.
Komram Kanna (38), Madkam Hidma (29), Tursam Mudraj (45) and Madkam Enka (25) carried rewards of Rs 1 lakh each. Two others who were arrested were identified as Madkam Soma (32) and Madkam Mutta (40).
The security forces also recovered 35 detonators, six gelatin rods, two Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), batteries, wires and other materials from their possession, the SP said. A local court remanded the rebels in judicial custody on Friday, he added.