Security forces have arrested three Naxalites including a Naxalite carrying a bounty of Rs 24 lakh in Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur district. Giving information about this, a senior police officer said that Sain Munshi Jetty alias Vikas (35) was arrested by security forces from the forest near Bhatpalli village under Bhairamgarh police station. While two other Naxalites were arrested from Modakpal police station area.
Police said that Vikas was involved in about 35 incidents of Maoist violence and a total reward of Rs 24 lakh was declared on him in two states. The 13/E battalion of Chhattisgarh Armed Force and local police detained Vikas when he was being taken to a hospital in Jagdalpur city for treatment. The officer said that during this time the security personnel also seized Rs 80,000 cash, Maoist uniform, Naxalite literature, pamphlets, notebooks and medicines from Vikas.
The police officer said that the arrested Naxalite had a reward of Rs 16 lakh in Maharashtra and Rs 8 lakh in Chhattisgarh. He was also involved in more than 35 incidents of Maoist violence in Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra and Telangana. He was produced before a special court constituted to look into the cases of the National Investigation Agency (NIA), from where he was sent to jail.
Officials said that Vikas is a resident of Maharashtra and while holding the post of Divisional Committee Member (DVCM) in Aheri Dalam of Gadchiroli Division of Maharashtra, he has been continuously carrying out Naxalite incidents there.
He said that Vikas used to use the National Park area of Chhattisgarh to carry out Naxalite incidents, due to which he became friends with Divisional Committee member of National Park Area Committee Dilip Bendja and others.
Officials said that when Vikas’s health deteriorated, Bendja called him for treatment and sent him to a hospital in Jagdalpur by providing him money and supporting personnel.
He said that preparations were being made to take Vikash to a private hospital in Jagdalpur in a four-wheeler. But based on the information received by the police, the security forces surrounded him and arrested him near Bhatpalli village. During this time, his companions left him and ran away. 80 thousand rupees in cash, Maoist uniform and other items were recovered from Vikash.
In another incident, security forces arrested two Maoists travelling on a two-wheeler in Modakpal police station area, officials said.
(with language input)
