Odishatv Bureau
Bhubaneswar: Mystery shrouded the arrest of a woman suspected to be the wife of top Maoist leader Azad Duna Keshava Rao from a slum area here as the Naxals on Wednesday claimed that her husband was also nabbed.

While the police confirms arrest of a woman identified as Pata Majhi alias Sunita Nayak of Kandhamal district, it refuted claims about the capture of Azad Duna Keshava Rao, alias Mahesh alias Anannda alias Kanakanna alias Shankar alias Babl, the number two in Orissa state organising committee of CPI (Maoist).

Azad on May 9 was chargsheeted by the crime branch (CB) of Orissa Police in the killing of Swami Laxamananda Saraswati in Kandhamal in 2008.

"As per information available with me, a woman suspected to be wife of Azad, was arrested in a narcotics case. It is not true that Azad is also arrested," director general of police (DGP) Manmohan Praharaj told PTI.

Maoists, on the other hand claimed that Azad was among three persons arrested by commissionerate of police on Monday.

Demanding forward of Azad to the court by May 14, Sabyasachi Panda, secretary of Orissa State Organising Committee of CPI (Maoist), threatened to go for Orissa bandh in protest.

The police, following a tip off arrested Pata Majhi from a slum in Nayapalli area along with 810 gram ganja and cash of Rs 26,000. She was forwarded to the court yesterday.

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