NIA nabs most-wanted Maoist ‘Chanti’ from Malkangiri, Odisha

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) nabbed a dreaded Maoist Ranju Khila, also known as ‘Chanti’ from the Swabhiman Anchal in Malkangiri on Tuesday.

As per reports, Chanti was involved in the 2012 ambush on BSF personnel which resulted in the death of four jawans and was carrying a bounty of Rs 3 lakh.

Chanti was earlier arrested by the Malkangiri Police and had been out on bail before the NIA nabbed him.

In another related incident, two Maoists, allegedly involved in several offences, were arrested in Nabarangpur district. The Maoists, including a woman cadre, were picked up by the security personnel during a combing operation by the Special Operation Group (SOG), the District Voluntary Force (DVF), and the CRPF personnel. The Maoists were apprehended from Hatigaon reserve forest area under Raighar police limits of Nabarangpur district, DIG, Southwestern Range, Pandit Rajesh Uttamrao, said.

They were identified as Poje Mandavi alias Anita, 25, and Samudra Bagh, 32, of Mainpur Nuapada division. Anita belongs to Motodi village in Sukma district of Chhattisgarh and Bagh is a native of Nangalbod in Sinapali block of Nuapada district in Odisha.

The DIG said that the duo was found to have been involved in many cases of violence in Nabarangpur, Nuapada, Kalahandi, and neighbouring Chhattisgarh.

The police said that Anita had joined the Maoist group in 2010 and was working as a party member of Bodchatia local organisation squad (LOS) prior to her joining Mainpur-Nuapada Division. She was influenced by Bal Sanghatan under Ungi. She was promoted as area committee member (ACM) in 2020 and has been active since 2013.

Similarly, Bagh had joined the Maoists in 2017 and has been active ever since as a militia member of the Mainpur-Nuapada Division. He reportedly provided information and other inputs to the extremists. Bagh was also providing medicines and other essential articles to the rebels, the police said.

(Reported By Jeetendra Beura, OTV)