Three Maoists arrested in Gaya

Gaya (Bihar), Oct 22 (ANI): The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) on Wednesday arrested three Maoists after a gun battle in Bihar's Gaya district.

Acting on a tip off, the CRPF troops began combing a jungle under Barachatti police station and a gun battle followed soon after.

"Three activists surrendered, who were hiding in the fields when we launched a search operation. On interrogation they confessed they had relations with Maoists and were helping them with arms and ammunition," said Vijay Kumar, Commandant, CRPF We recovered huge quantity of items like wireless sets, explosives which had timer devices, ammunition and uniform," he added.

India has witnessed a series of violent Maoist attacks after police arrested three top Maoist ideologues --. Kobad Ghandy, Chhatradhar Mahato and Chandrabhushan Yadav recently.

India is battling Maoists across eastern, central and southern India, an insurgency that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has described as the biggest internal security challenge since independence.

The government of India formally been labelled Maoists as a terrorist group which gives security forces more enforcement powers.

The Maoist rebellion commenced about four decades ago for the cause of poor peasants in the east, but has now spread to about 20 of India's 29 states. The Maoists, who say they are waging war on behalf of the poor and the landless against the state, have taken effective control of interior areas of the countryside. (ANI)