Naxal held from Bihar border

Mirzapur police have arrested an active member of a Naxalite group headed by Munna Vishwakarma,who carries a reward of Rs 2 lakh,from a forest near Aghaura on the Bihar border.

The 28-year-old,identified as Pankaj alias Chunmun alias Ram Pravesh,belongs to Nauhatta area of Rohtas district in Bihar. He is wanted in seven criminal cases from Bhabhua and Rohtas over the past 10 years. The police seized 50 cartridges of self-loaded rifles (SLR) and seven AK 47 rifles from Pankaj.

SP of Mirzapur, K Satya Narayan,said Pankaj had been an active member of Vishwakarmas group. He has expertise in operating sophisticated weapons like INSAS and AK series rifles,SLRs and grenades and is trained in separating rifle parts and assembling them within minutes. Narayan said that during interrogation,Pankaj told the cops that Vishwakarma has a group of 27 hardcore members who are trained in jungle warfare and equipped with hi-tech arms.

He also revealed that Vishwakarma and his group had been staying in the thickets of Rohtas for the past one month. Narayan said Pankaj had joined Vishwakarmas group about 10 years ago and had been involved in the attack on Rohtas police station and the killing of two Peace Force members in Aghaura police station area during Bihar polls.

Pankaj has given details about Naxalite training centres in Jharkhand,Bihar and other Maoist-affected states and about the links from where such groups are supplied arms and ammunition,the SP said.

Narayan said they would initiate action in coordination with Jharkhand and Bihar police.

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