In a major breakthrough, Jharkhand Police on Tuesday arrested senior Maoist leader Misir Besra, who carried a cumulative bounty of more than Rs 1 crore, from Dhanbad district.
Besra, one of the country's most wanted Maoist commanders, was apprehended from the Maniadih area under Barwadda police station limits during a special operation, police said.
A resident of Harladih village in Giridih district, Besra was wanted in multiple Maoist-related cases across several states, including Jharkhand and Odisha. Two other Maoists were also arrested along with him during the operation.
The arrest came hours after 16 Maoists, including several senior cadres, surrendered before the Jharkhand Police.
Among those who laid down arms was Santosh Mahto alias Basudev Da alias Dilip, who was wanted in 128 cases and carried a reward of Rs 15 lakh.
Police said six of the surrendered Maoists together carried rewards totaling Rs 39 lakh. The group included two sub-zonal committee members and two area committee functionaries, marking another significant setback for the banned outfit in the state.
(With inputs from PTI)
