Chatra police nab Maoist commander

Ranchi: Chatra police on Wednesday nabbed a squad commander of CPI Maoist in Lawalong police station area following a two-day extensive search operation. An AK-47 rifle, 130 cartridges and two magazines were seized from him.

The extremist, identified as Nanku Ganjhu, is accused in at least 10 cases registered against him in Latehar, Chatra and Palamu districts.

Chatra SP Rishav Jha said, “Police received a tip-off that some members of CPI Maoist gang, led by Maoist zonal commander Paramjit, have escaped to Tikulia and Hossir villages after an encounter with the police on Monday in a forest near Hossir. A joint team of CRPF and the state police, led by SDPO Bachandeo Kujur, carried out search operations for two days in the area. Eventually Ganjhu was arrested near Hossir early on Wednesday morning.”

Jha added that on Monday, Paramjit’s squad was involved in another encounter with a separate joint team of security forces, comprising the district police of Chatra and Latehar and the Jharkhand Jaguar, on Monday. “His squad was also involved in arson under the Lawalong and the Panki police station areas in the recent past,” Jha said.

The SP informed that they have been carrying out continuous raids against the Maoists, Tritya Sammelan Prastuti Committee (TSPC) and other extremist organisations in the district for the last few days and so far, eight TSPC members, including two sub-zonal commanders, have been arrested.

Meanwhile, Ranchi police on Monday arrested a shooter in connection with the murder of Sarfaraz Alam alias Dabloo — a hardcore criminal with extremist links in Kumhaartoli area of Lalpur police station. Alam was murdered on Monday evening over monetary issues, police said.

City DSP Amit Kumar Singh said that Alam was an accused in two murder cases, apart from committing other serious crimes. He added that Alam had links with the People Liberation Front of India.