13 naxals arrested in Chhattisgarh

Raipur, Sep 30: As many as 13 lower-rung naxals, one of them carrying a cash reward of Rs one lakh on his head, were arrested from Chhattisgarh's insurgency-hit Narayanpur district, police said today.

"The cadres were rounded up from forest of Keelam village under Chhote Dongar police station limits last evening," a senior police official said.

Acting on specific inputs that Maoists had convened a meeting in Keelam area, located around 400 km away from here, to carry out some evil designs, a joint team of Special Task Force (STF) and district forces had launched a search operation, he said.

While cordoning off the interior forests, security forces apprehended 13 suspects, who later admitted to their involvement with the outlawed CPI (Maoist) as lower rank cadres, he claimed.

Those arrested were identified as Manher Mandavi, Manaru Mandavi, Manku Mandavi, Patturam Bhori, Mander Kashyap, Bhaniram Kashyap, Jhagdu Ram Korram, Fulder Kashyap, Ramsingh Kashyap, Sukman Korram, Budhuram Watti, Motiram Korram and Bogaram Mandavi, all militia and Jantana Sarkar-rank members.

Of them, Patturam was also heading Dandakaranya Adivasi Kisan Majdoor Sangthan (DAKMS) -- a frontal wing of Maoists in Keelam area, the official said, adding that he was carrying a reward of Rs one lakh on his head.

They all were involved in incidents like attempt to murder, loot, arson and torching vehicles in the region, he added.

PTI