Sukma attack: 18 naxals involved in attack on CRPF personnel arrested

Raipur: As many as 18 naxals allegedly involved in the deadly attack on the CRPF personnel in April, were arrested on Thursday from two places in the insurgency-hit Sukma district of Chhattisgarh, an official said.

"While 10 cadres were apprehended from Chintagufa police station area, eight others were caught from Chintalnar police station limits by separate joint teams of security forces," Deputy Inspector General of Police (Dantewada range) Sundarraj P said.

The composite squads of District Reserve Guard (DRG), district force and CoBRA (Commando Battalion for Resolute Action) were out on a search operation in the forests of Chintagufa and Chintalnar, around 450 km away from here.

Podiyam Kosa (28), Kawasi Joga (28), Madvi Aaytu (23) and Oyam Sukka (22) are some of the key rebels among those held, he said.

Kosa and Joga were active as Maoist janmilitia commander and deputy janmilitia commander respectively.

Similarly, while Aaytu was active as commander of Chetna Natya Mandli (CNM)- a frontal wing of Maoist, Sukka was CNM deputy commander.

Rest of the 14 arrested ultras were associated with Dandakaranya Adivasi Kisaan Mazdoor Sangthan (DAKMS), janatana sarkar and other lower rung squad of Maoists, he said.

All of them were allegedly involved in the attack on the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel, belonging to 74th battalion, on April 24, in Burkapal area under Chintagufa police station limits, in which 25 troopers were killed, the DIG said.

Besides, they were also allegedly involved in the attack on a police party in Minpa area (Sukma) in 2013 and other naxal incidents, including loot, arson, murder, and triggering IED blasts, the DIG said.

They were produced before a local court which sent them to jail on judicial remand, he said.

With Thursday's arrests, the total number of arrested rebels in connection with the Burkapal attack has gone up to 47, the official said.