Bhubaneswar: As many as seven persons were arrested for impersonating as Maoists and extorting money from people in Odisha-Andhra Pradesh border area.
Huge cache of arms and ammunition were seized from the accused who were arrested by Palakonda police in Srikakulam district of Andhra Pradesh.
The weaponry seized from their possession include five country-made guns, 10 rounds of bullets, one tabloid, three cellphones, clothes used by Maoists and two fake pistols.
According to sources, three among the accused persons had barged into the house of one Suresh, a local pan masala trader, at Veeraghattam village yesterday and demanded Rs 1 lakh in extortion. But when he raised an alarm, the accused trio fled the spot.
Later, after a complaint, the local police launched an investigation and arrested the accused trio. Upon preliminary interrogation, cops zeroed in on four other accused involved in the incident.
Police sources said the accused were earlier involved in extortion of money from a rice trader in Kashinagar of Gajapati district.
(Edited By Suryakant Jena)