Seven naxalites arrested in Jharkhand

In a major success for the police, seven Maoists were arrested with 1100 cartridges, a bomb and a pistol at separate places in Ranchi and Khunti districts during anti-naxal operation, a senior police officer said here today.

The arrests took place during a joint operation by the CRPF and the state police in the forests on Friday night, senior supterintendent of Police, Praveen Kumar, said.

"David alias Bolu Sahu, the Maoists' platoon commander and a close aide of Maoist Commander Kundan Pahan was arrested along with six others from different places during the operation," he said.
       
The police recovered a bomb weighing about 10 kg which was planted at Ulidih village in Ranchi district to target the police, Kumar said.

The bullets, recovered from their possession, were of self-loading rifles and supposed to be used against the police, he said adding the operation was a major success.

He said the Kundan Pahan group was allegedly involved in the killing of JDU MLA Ramesh Singh Munda, looting of Rs Five crore from a transit van of a private bank and shooting down of five constables at Bundu and Tamar areas in Ranchi district a couple of years ago.