Police arrest seven Naxals in Chhattisgarh for extortion

Raipur: The police Saturday claimed to have arrested seven Naxals in Dantewada district of Chhattisgarh. Dantewada district superintendent of police Kamalochan Kashyap told PTI that four Naxals were arrested in a forest near Munga village in Katekalyan police station limits on Friday, while three were arrested from Kuakonda police station limits. [caption id=“attachment_3791713” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Representational image. AFP[/caption] Police had received information that members of Katekalyan Area Committee and Military Platoon No 26 of the Naxals were active in the area and extorting money from locals, he said. Nine teams, including District Reserve Groups and Special Task Forces of police from Dantewada, Sukma and Bastar, as well as the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) were sent to the area yesterday, he said. Naxals opened fire on police near Munga forest and tried to escape when police surrounded them, he said. Kawasi Budhram (30), Aaytu Kawasi (32), Muyaya Kawasi (22) and Hadma Kowasi (30) were nabbed during the operation, the SP said. They were wanted in cases of attack on security forces, damaging roads, etc, he said. Elsewhere, a joint team of CRPF and police arrested three Naxals in the Badegudara Kankipar forest, he said. They were identified as Chaite Podyami (24), Hidma Muchaki (25) and Bhima Kadtami (31). Hadma Kowasi and Kawasi Budhram were carrying rewards of Rs 1 lakh each on their heads, Kashyap said.