Ranchi, March 9 In a major crackdown on left-wing extremism, the Jharkhand police arrested five hardcore Maoists affiliated with the banned People’s Liberation Front of India (PLFI) from the Ronhe forest in Khunti district on Sunday.
Authorities seized a cache of arms and other materials, including a carbine and cartridges, from the arrested Maoists.
According to police, the arrested Maoists were allegedly planning to execute a major attack.
At a press conference, Khunti Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) Christopher Kerketta disclosed that the arrested Maoists have been identified as Pawan Kumar alias Pawan Mahato and Karma Barla, both residents of Targarhi village under Itki police station in Ranchi, along with Sentu Singh, Abhay Kumar Singh alias Aman Singh, and Deepak Munda, residents of Ramgarh district.
The operation was launched after Khunti Superintendent of Police (SP) Aman Kumar received intelligence input regarding the presence of PLFI operatives in the Ronhe forest. Acting on this input, a special team was formed under ASP Christopher Kerketta. The team comprised Police Inspector Ashok Kumar Singh, Rania Police Station Incharge Vikas Jaiswal, Karra Police Station Incharge Manish Kumar, Jariagarh Police Station Incharge Raju Kumar, Police Sub-Inspector Deepak Kant, and armed police personnel.
The joint team surrounded the forest from all sides, ensuring no escape routes, and successfully apprehended the five militants. Preliminary interrogation revealed that the group was planning an armed assault to extort levy from local contractors and businessmen.
In addition to the weapons, security forces recovered four motorcycles, five mobile phones, PLFI pamphlets, and several bags containing essential supplies. Police records indicate that three of the arrested individuals -- Pawan Kumar alias Pawan Mahato, Sentu Singh, and Deepak Munda -- have multiple criminal cases registered against them across different police stations.
The latest arrests come just days after a violent confrontation between security forces and PLFI insurgents in Bandgaon police station area of West Singhbhum district on March 2, where two Naxalites were killed.
The PLFI, a splinter group of the Maoist insurgency, is notorious for engaging in extortion and terror activities, particularly targeting coal traders, transporters, railway contractors, and businessmen. The outfit’s influence extends beyond Jharkhand, with operations reported in Bihar, Chhattisgarh, and Odisha.
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