Raipur: Three Naxals, one of them carrying a cash reward of Rs one lakh on his head, were today arrested from the insurgency-hit Bijapur district in Chhattisgarh, police said.
The cadres were apprehended by a joint team of CoBRA (Commando Battalion for Resolute Action) and local police from Kottaguda forest under Basaguda police station limits, Bijapur Superintendent of Police K L Dhruv told PTI.
Security forces had yesterday launched an anti-Maoist operation in the interior villages — Pakela, Gaganpalli, Gundam, Kottaguda, Chinnagelur and Peddageular of Basaguda region, located about 450 km from here, he said.
“While they were passing through Kottaguda forests today, three suspects tried to escape from the place. But they were held after a short chase,” he said.
Those arrested were identified as Kadti Laxmaiya alias Samaiya (35), Punem Manglu (35) and Semla Pojja (21).
Of them, Laxmaiya, who was active as the head of DAKMS (Dandakaranya Adivasi Kisan Majdoor Sangthan) was a prominent cadre in the region, Dhruv said, adding that he was carrying a reward of Rs one lakh on his head.
Manglu was given the responsibility of collecting ration from villagers for Maoists, while Pojja was expert in planting IEDs (improvised explosives devices), he added.
“Moreover, all of them were allegedly involved in the incidents of attempt to murder and looting in the region,” the SP said.