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The Odisha police arrested a top leader of CPI (Maoist), Dubashi Sankar from Boipariguda police limits in Koraput district, Director General of Police DGP Abhay informed on Tuesday.
"Dubashi Sankar, who was carrying a cash reward of Rs 20 lakh on his head, was arrested yesterday during a joint operation by the Special Operation Group (SOG) and District Voluntary Force (DVF) of Odisha Police and the Border Security Force (BSF). He was nabbed from under Baipariguda police limits when he was allegedly planning to carry out violent activities with the help of other members," the DGP said during a press briefing.
"An Insas rifle, 10 rounds of ammunition and other articles were recovered from the possession of Shankar. Koraput police forwarded him to court today," he added.
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The top cop said Shankar is the highest-ranking Maoist to be arrested or neutralised in the past 20 years by the Odisha police. He was a member of the Andhra-Odisha Special Zonal Committee and involved in a series of violent attacks on security forces and killing of civilians in Koraput, Malkangiri and Visakhapatnam.
"We suspect his involvement in the 2009 Maoist ambush in Damanjodi in which nine CISF jawans were martyred. He was also involved in Govindpalli landmine blast in 2010 in which 11 personnel of Odisha police were killed. Besides, he was part of Janiguda ambush under Chitrakonda in which four BSF personnel were killed," Abhay stated.
"We will soon take him on remand for further questioning about the Maoist organisation and will try to punish him as per the judiciary," he added.
The DGP further informed that some other Maoists who were with Shankar and had fled after his arrest exchanged fire with the Odisha police today afternoon. While no casualties were reported from either side, some arms and ammunition were recovered after the gunfight.
In a related development, a member of Guma Area Committee today surrendered before the SP and DIG of Koraput. "He expressed his willingness to join the mainstream of society by shunning violence," the DGP said.
