Teacher, NGO staff held for naxalism

Jashpur, Chhattisgarh, Jul 31: Five people, including a teacher and a field supervisor of a Delhi-based NGO, were arrested for murder and indulging in naxalite activities in this district of Chhattisgarh, bordering Jharkhand.

The arrests were made on Wednesday, July 30 during investigation into the murder of Ambikapur-based contractor Rajkumar Gupta's employee Shashi Tiwari for extortion, police said. Fire arms and naxalite literature were also recovered from them. They have been remanded to judicial custody, the police added.

Nadar village government primary school's 'Shiksha Karmi' Bahadur Ram confessed to his involvement in naxal activities and at his behest Hazari Prasad Gupta of Jharkhand, Anand Ram and Ajay Kumar Pradhan of Jashpur district, besides NGO's field supervisor Ajay Kumar were arrested, Superintendent of Police Akbar Ram Koram said.

The accused abducted the contractor's clerk for ransom and later murdered him as the ransom money was not paid. The teacher used to arrange vehicles for the ultras, who were operating from their base near Aastha village, Mr Koram added.

The arrests were made under Sections 365, 302 and 120 B IPC, Sections 25 and 27 of Arms Act and Section 8/2/3 of Chhattisgarh Jan Suraksha Adhiniyam. The police personnel of Aastha police station were rewarded Rs 5,000 for their exemplary work, Mr Koram said.

Police have not yet disclosed the name of Delhi-based NGO.

UNI