NIA team grills Maoist leader in Odisha

--Red rebel arrested in S’garh

JEYPORE/ROURKELA: A senior official of the National Investigation Agency (NIA), which is investigating the May 25 mayhem by Maoists on a convoy of Congress leaders at Darabha Ghati in Chhattisgarh, started quizzing a Maoist on Friday at the Circle Jail in Koraput regarding his involvement in the ambush.

The NIA team member additional SP (operation) Sanjay Kumar interrogated Maoist leader T Anil Kumar alias Chandu, a top Maoist cadre of Andhra-Odisha Border Special Divisional Committee for over 90 minutes at the jail.

Though the NIA team didn’t reveal the details of the interrogation, sources said, the team asked about the involvement of other Red rebels in the ambush and other strategic information to know the chains of Maoists moving in both States.

Notably, the wanted Maoist was arrested by the Koraput police on February 1. Later the local police had taken Chandu on a remand for a week for interrogation.

In another incident, a Maoist was nabbed by the joint forces of the District Voluntary Forces (DVF) and the CRPF during combing operations in a forest near Rengra railway station under K Balanga police limits in Sundergarh district on Friday evening. He was forwarded to the court on Saturday morning, said the local police.    

A Walkie-Talkie has also been seized from the arrested Maoist. The combing operation is currently underway.

According to reports, the joint forces on Friday evening rushed to the Rengra railway station after getting information about the presence of the Maoists. During search operations, the Maoists resorted to firing at the forces which was later retaliated by the latter.

Around ten rounds of firing exchanged between the ultras and the joint forces. The Maoists during the firing entered into a nearby jungle. Though the other duo managed to flee from the spot, a Red rebel identified as Sailai Kirei (19) of Jharkhand was caught by the forces.

The forces have intensified combing operations in the jungle to nab the other two ultras, said Bonei SDPO RB Panigrahi.