New Delhi: Four Naxals, including two women carrying cash reward of Rs 5 lakh and Rs 2 lakh on their head, were todayarrestedfrom separate places in Chhattisgarh’s insurgency-hit Dantewada district, police said.
“While the women cadres were nabbed from Kuakonda police station area after an exchange of fire with police, two others were held from a weekly market in Katekalyan police station limits,” Dantewada Additional Superintendent of Police (anti-Maoist operations) Gorakhnath Baghel told PTI.
A patrolling team of police was on its way to Dantewada town from Sukma district in an SUV when they spotted a group of ultras heading to the other side of forest after crossing the road at Bhusaras valley in Kuakonda area, around 400 km from here, he said.
Sensing presence of security forces, the ultras opened fire on them leading to a gunfight between the two sides.
However, the police team chased them inside the forest and rounded up two women ultras whereas others managed to escape, the ASP said.
Besides, a 12 bore country-made gun, five live cartridges, Maoist uniforms and items of daily use were also seized from their possession, he said.
Payke, who was active as Katekalyan area committee member, was looking after the activities of Krantikari Adivasi Mahila Sangthan (KAMS), a frontal wing of Maoists, in Katekalyan and Darbha area, the ASP said adding that she was carrying a reward of Rs five lakh on her head.
Similarly, Deve who was a deputy commander in platoon no 24 under Darbha division of Maoists since 2012, was carrying a reward of Rs two lakh on her head, he said.
In a separate incident, two Maoists, identified as Kosa (28) and Handa (30), were arrested while procuring commodities of daily use from a local weekly market in Katekalyan area.
The ASP said that Rs two lakh cash reward was announced for the arrest of Kosa.