Four arrested for aiding Maoist group in Latehar

Daltonganj: Latehar district police arrested four people accused of harbouring, sheltering, and providing food and other logistics to the Maoist group of Manohar Ganjhu and his accomplices.

They have been identified as Raj Kumar Bhagat (38), Arun Ganjhu (34), Chhatis Ganjhu (40), and Gobind Ganjhu (34). All hail from the Chandwa police station limits.

Raj Kumar Bhagat was an insider of the Maoists as he was a contractual human resource at the CMPDI's team for the survey of coal exploration. He also doubled up as a night guard. Latehar SP Gaurav said, "He helped Maoists to do a recce of the CMPDI's survey of coal exploration."

They were caught on Thursday. On Friday, all were remanded to judicial custody. They have been booked under section 17 of the Criminal Law Amendment Act, police said. Police also recovered a looted cell phone.

These four used to pass on information about police movements to Ganjhu and his team.

Gaurav said, "On May 3, Ganjhu and his team set afire eight vehicles, including two drilling machines engaged by the CMPDI at Torisote under Chandwa police station limits."

CMPDI was conducting a survey of coal exploration in the area. Maoists wanted extortion from the company, amounting to Rs 2 lakh for each drilling for coal exploration. As the CMPDI refused to comply with the Maoists, it suffered the loss of eight vehicles and machines.

Sources said the extortion demand was put forward to the CMPDI last year as well but police weren't informed. The PSU also continued surveying coal exploration at Torisote without informing the nearest police station, police said, adding that the Maoists took full advantage of it and caused heavy destruction of property.

Daltonganj: Latehar district police arrested four people accused of harbouring, sheltering, and providing food and other logistics to the Maoist group of Manohar Ganjhu and his accomplices.

They have been identified as Raj Kumar Bhagat (38), Arun Ganjhu (34), Chhatis Ganjhu (40), and Gobind Ganjhu (34). All hail from the Chandwa police station limits.

Raj Kumar Bhagat was an insider of the Maoists as he was a contractual human resource at the CMPDI's team for the survey of coal exploration. He also doubled up as a night guard. Latehar SP Gaurav said, "He helped Maoists to do a recce of the CMPDI's survey of coal exploration."

They were caught on Thursday. On Friday, all were remanded to judicial custody. They have been booked under section 17 of the Criminal Law Amendment Act, police said. Police also recovered a looted cell phone.

These four used to pass on information about police movements to Ganjhu and his team.

Gaurav said, "On May 3, Ganjhu and his team set afire eight vehicles, including two drilling machines engaged by the CMPDI at Torisote under Chandwa police station limits."

CMPDI was conducting a survey of coal exploration in the area. Maoists wanted extortion from the company, amounting to Rs 2 lakh for each drilling for coal exploration. As the CMPDI refused to comply with the Maoists, it suffered the loss of eight vehicles and machines.

Sources said the extortion demand was put forward to the CMPDI last year as well but police weren't informed. The PSU also continued surveying coal exploration at Torisote without informing the nearest police station, police said, adding that the Maoists took full advantage of it and caused heavy destruction of property.