Latehar (Jharkhand), May 15 The Jharkhand Police have arrested three most wanted Maoists associated with the banned outfit People's Liberation Front of India (PLFI) during a raid in the Hargarwa forest under the Chandwa police station limits of Latehar district, officials said on Thursday.
The operation also led to the recovery of firearms, ammunition, and mobile phones.
The arrested Maoists have been identified as Santosh Oraon, a resident of Chandwa in Latehar district; Ashish Oraon, from the Balumath police station area; and Balak Ram, a native of Kuru police station area in Lohardaga district.
Addressing a press conference on Thursday, Latehar Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Arvind Kumar said the three were planning a major attack in the region.
Acting on intelligence inputs received by Superintendent of Police Kumar Gaurav, a special police team was constituted under DSP Arvind Kumar and Inspector Randhir Kumar to nab the Maoists.
“On raiding the forest, the Maoists attempted to flee but were quickly surrounded and apprehended,” DSP Kumar said.
Two country-made firearms, seven live rounds of ammunition, and seven mobile phones were recovered during the operation.
Santosh Oraon has been implicated in 23 criminal and Maoist-related cases across various police station jurisdictions in Jharkhand. Balak Ram is wanted in nine such cases, while Ashish Oraon is a repeat offender who has served jail time in the past.
Police believe the trio was involved in a series of recent violent incidents, including an attack on a brick kiln in Serak village under the Chandwa police station last month, during which a clerk was shot. They were also allegedly involved in firing at Santosh Singh’s crusher unit in Hargarwa.
Additionally, they had issued extortion demands to contractors of PRA Road Construction in the name of the PLFI.
The arrest operation was carried out by a team comprising Sub-Inspectors Ajit Kumar, Arvind Kumar Singh, Shravan Kumar, Rakesh Kumar Mahato, and other personnel.
All three Maoists were produced before a magistrate on Thursday and have been sent to judicial custody.
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