Attack on CRPF personnel in Burkapal: 34 Naxals held in Chhattisgarh

RAIPUR: As many as 34 Naxals, mostly lower rung cadres, allegedly involved in the deadly attack on CRPF personnel in April this year, were today arrested from two places in Chhattisgarh's Sukma district.

"While 31 cadres were apprehended from Chintagufa police station area, three others from Fulbagdi police station limits by separate joint team of security forces," Sukma Additional Superintendent of Police Jitendra Shukla told PTI.

The composite squads of District Reserve Guard (DRG), district force and Special Task Force (STF) were out on a search operation in the forests of Chintagufa and Fulbagdi, around 450 kms away from here.

Midiam Pojja (45), Podiyam Kosa (23), Madkam Kosa (25) and Muchaki Handa (23) were key cadres among the arrested, he said.

Podiyam and Madkam were active as Maoist janmilitia commander and deputy janmilitia commander respectively.

Similarly, while Pojja was active as head of Janatana Sarkar squad, Handa as head of Chetna Natya Mandli (CNM)- a frontal wing of Maoists.

Rest of the 30 arrested ultras were associated with Dandakaranya Adivasi Kisaan Mazdoor Sangthan (DAKMS) and other lower rung squads of the banned outfit, he said.

They all were allegedly involved in the attack on the Central Reserve Police Force personnel, belonging to 74th battalion, on April 24 last, in Burkapal area under Chintagufa police station limits wherein 25 troopers were killed, the ASP said.

Besides, they were also allegedly involved other Naxal incidents, including loot, arson, murder and triggering IED blasts, he added.

They were produced before a local court which sent them in jail on judicial remand, he said.

According to the officer, with this, so far around 81 ultras have been arrested in connection with the Burkapal attack.