Maoist held in J'khand, arms seized

A 28-year-old Adesh Ganjhu alias Mangra was accused of killing JMM's Balumath block president Dilsher Khan on April 24 this year, the officer said, adding that the Maoist was involved in several other murder cases.

Latehar(Jharkhand): A member of the banned Tritiya Sammelan Prastuti Committee was arrested in Jharkhand's Latehar district in an anti-Maoist operation, police said on Saturday. A huge cache of arms and ammunition, including ultra-modern grenades, was seized from his possession, Latehar superintendent of police (SP) Anjani Anjan said.

Acting on a tip-off, a special police team launched the operation in Serum forest under the Balumath Police Station limits on Friday and apprehended 28-year-old Adesh Ganjhu alias Mangra, the officer said. He is an active member of the splinter group of the outlawed Communist Party of India (Maoist), the SP said.

Ganjhu was accused of killing JMM's Balumath block president Dilsher Khan on April 24 this year, the officer said, adding that the Maoist was involved in several other murder cases. "A huge cache of arms and ammunition was recovered during the operation. This is for the first time that ultra-modern 40 mm HE grenades have been seized in Jharkhand. This is a powerful explosive," Anjan told reporters.

A thorough investigation is being done to "ascertain how such sophisticated grenade reached to the Maoists and what was their plan", he said. The police had information that the banned TSPC members would gather in Serum forest as they were planning for an attack on a coal siding, the SP said. Accordingly, the police team was formed and the operation was planned.

Ganjhu was not able to flee the spot during the operation though other members of the banned outfit escaped from there, taking advantage of the dense forest and hilly terrain of the area, the SP said. The seized arms and ammunition included a pistol, live bullets, 30 pieces of 40-mm HE grenade, eight walkie-talkie sets and disassembled parts of firearms. (PTI)