19 Naxalites, including 9 involved in Sukma attack arrested in Chhattisgarh

During interrogation, nine of them admitted to their involvement in the Sukma attack following which they were arrested.

Raipur, May 7: As many as 19 Naxalites, nine of them allegedly involved in the deadly attack on CRPF personnel last week, were on Saturday arrested from separate places in Chhattisgarh's Sukma district, the police said.

Of the nine Naxalites who were allegedly involved in the Burkapal attack, six were rounded up from Chintagufa police station area while three others from Chintalnar police station limits, Sukma Additional Superintendent of Police Jitendra Shukla told reporters.

Around a dozen suspects were rounded up during joint search operations by the Central Reserve Police Force, the CoBRA and the district force in Chintalnar, Chintagufa and Burkapal areas of Sukma for questioning, he said.

Those arrested were identified as Sodhi Linga 30, Sodhi Muda 45, Podiam Joga 38, Madkam Bheema 18, Rava Aayta 20 and Madkam Somdu 34 from Chintagufa, Vetti Malla 26, Muchaki Nanda 39 and Madvi Kosa 40 from Chintalnar, the ASP said, adding they all were active as members of Dandakaranya Adivasi Kisaan Mazdoor Sangthan - a frontal wing of the Maoists.

"In a separate action, 10 janmilitia members of the Maoists were arrested from Kukanar police station area by a composite squad of the CRPF, the District Reserve Guard and the district force," he said.

"The 10 were allegedly involved in torching two trucks and opening fire at a police patrolling party in Kukanar area between Jagdalapur and Sukma on National Highway 30 on February 26," he said.

"All the nineteen ultras were produced before a court in Dantewada district which sent them in judicial remand," the officer added.

On April 24, 25 CRPF personnel, belonging to 74th battalion, were killed in a Maoist ambush while patrolling in Burkapal area of the Sukma district.

PTI