Five Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) cadres were arrested from Dantewada and Bijapur Districts of Chhattisgarh in three separate incidents on August 1, reports The Pioneer. In one incident, three Maoists, including two minors, were arrested after an exchange of fire between Security Forces (SFs) and Maoists in a forest near Tetam village under Katekalyan Police Station limits in Dantewada District on August 1. The Superintendent of Police (SP) Abhishek Pallava said, a joint team of the District Reserve Guard (DRG) and local Police launched an operation based on a specific input that senior Maoists had convened a meeting of people from Tetam, Tela, Jiakorta and other villages in a bid to force them to observe the Martyrs Week (July 28 to August 3) in memory of their slain leaders.
When the patrolling team was near Tetam, the Maoists triggered IED (Improvised Explosive Devise) blasts and opened fire on SFs that led to the gun-battle. When the gun fell silent, the SFs arrested Hidma Madvi (23), a ‘jan militia member’ along with a 15-year-old girl and a boy aged 16. Also, detonators, Maoist banners, fire crackers, medicines and items of daily use were recovered from the spot, the SP said adding that “the minor girl was part of the Chetna Natya Mandli (cultural wing of Maoists) while the boy was active as a ‘militia member’. All the three were allegedly tasked with arranging commodities of daily use for senior cadres, spreading Maoist propaganda, damaging roads and conducting reconnaissance on police.”
In other incidents, two Maoists, identified as Mahesh Yadav (32) and Manku Modiyam (32) were arrested from separate places in Bijapur District of Chhattisgarh on August 1. While Yadav was arrested from Tindodi village under Bhairamgarh Police Station limits, Modiyam was arrested from Chilnar village under Bijapur Police Station limits in the District. A Police officer said, Yadav was involved in the killing of Policeman -Somaru Poyam and injuring his parents at their house in Matwada village on July 1. On the other hand, Modiyam was wanted for killing a Police official and snatching his AK-47 rifle in Pamalwaya area in the District in 2011.