Police arrest five Naxals in Chhattisgarh, seize torches, revolvers from rebels

Raipur: Five naxals were Thursday arrested from two places in insurgency-hit Bastar division of Chhattisgarh, police said. While three cadres were arrested from Dantewada district, two others were held from Narayanpur district, a senior police official told PTI. [caption id=“attachment_3783835” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Representational image. AFP[/caption] “Based on a specific tip-off, the ultras identified as Budhram Mandavi (45), Hunga Atra (20) and Laxman Atra (26) were held from Ghadi chowk area of Bacheli town in Dantewada when they arrived there for procuring daily use material,” he said. Ration items, including rice and oil, besides a cache of torches and batteries were recovered from their possession, he added. They were allegedly involved in the attack in Bacheli mining area of the National Mineral Development Corporation (NMDC) in Dantewda in February this year, wherein around 90 kilogram explosives, 1,550 meters wire, 149 detonators, two walkie-talkies were looted, the official said. The trio had been acting as lower-rung cadres since the past five years and tasked with supply of ration material, cutting roads and damaging government property, he said. In another incident, two rebels- Somaru Gavde (35) and Sonaru Gavde (26), were arrested from Bagjhar village under Benoor police station limits of Narayanpur. Somaru was active as head of Jantana Sarkar squad of Maoist in Chhinari area, whereas Sonaru was a CNM (Chetna Natya Manch- a cultural outfit of Maoist) member, he said. Based on the statement of Sonaru, one .315 bore country-made revolver and its cartridges were recovered near his house in Bagjhar, he added. According to the officer, the duo was involved in various kinds of Naxal-related incidents like damaging roads, firing on police camps, arson and similar others.