3 women Maoists arrested in G’pati, arms recovered

--Sabyasachi hurt in fire exchange: DIG (SR)

BRAHMAPUR: The police on Friday arrested three women Maoists from Sukhi forest under Mohana block in Gajapati district and also recovered arms and hard cash from their possession, said Southern Range DIG Amitabh Thakur to the Presspersons here.     

The three arrested Maoists were identified as Nikita Majhi, Tadingi Majhi and Sukanti Majhi of Sabyasachi Panda-led Odisha Maovadi Party (OMP). Nikita is believed to have been a leading cadre of the OMP, said the DIG.

Thakur said the police busted a Maoist camp in the jungle and recovered a huge cache of arms and ammunitions along with hard cash from the camp.  

The security forces seized three 9mm and two 2mm pistols, one tiffin bomb, 13 magazines, one AK-47 rifle, four Self Loading Rifles (SLRs), two INSAS rifles and cash worth Rs 10.5 lakh from their possession.

Thakur also said Panda received bullet injury when the security forces fired at him from his behind. One bullet got pierced into his right thigh, while the other struck in his laptop carried by him on his back, he added.

While interrogation, the women Maoists said that Panda is roaming around the jungle with three people. “Panda is not in a well condition. Our operation is underway to bust more Maoists camps in the jungle and to nab the extremist leader,” said Thakur.

Gajapati police’s successful operation will be a major jolt for the OMP. The police have started interrogating the three arrested Maoists to get information regarding whereabouts of OMP leader Panda.

Notably, the police had conducted raid on a Maoist camp in Salimagochha jungle in the boarder area of the Ganjam district on February 14 where Panda had escaped from the clutches of the police.