Nine Maoists arrested with weapons in Bihar

MOTIHARI (BIHAR): A joint team of the Special Task Police (STF) and police have arrested nine Maoists, including two hardcore ones, with weapons from Bihar's East Champaran district, a police officer said today.

Carrying out a search operation against Maoists since yesterday, the joint team nabbed nine ultras, including the two hardcore ones identified as Zaheer Madari and Nanhat Paswan, the Superintendent of Police (SP) Vinay Kumar told reporters.

A self-styled area commander, Madari was wanted in at least 25 cases of loot, murder and naxal violence in the district and carried a reward of Rs. 50,000 on his head, he said.

Paswan, a hardcore Maoist too, was wanted in nine cases of naxal violence, Kumar said.

The other arrested ultras have been identified as Vidya Mahto, Lakhindra Paswan, Arun Kumar Thakur, Lalita Prasad, Muslim alias Islam, Ramekbal Bhagat and Rambharosh Das, the SP said.

On identification of the arrested Maoists, the joint team raided Goregaon village under Kundwa Chainpur police station area and seized one AK-56 with three magazines, a 9 mm pistol, one country-made pistol, 98 ammunitions, three mobile phones, two motorcycles and naxal literature, he said.