A wanted Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) cadre, identified as Peka Madi Pungati (42), who carried an INR 150,000 reward on his head, was arrested by the Police near a traffic check post during a security blockade enforced by the CRPF and Bhamragad QRT teams in Gadchiroli District of Maharashtra on March 22, reports daijiworld.com. Pungati was a wanted Maoist linked with a ‘Jan Militia’ (people’s army of the Maoists) active in the Gadchiroli jungles and helped organise Maoist activities, arranging food and logistics support, forcing villagers to attend Maoist meetings in the forests, and other works. Four months ago, on December 19, 2023, he was involved in setting on fire to three tractors and one JCB, as well as attacking many labourers near Hiddur village, besides abducting and killing a Police constable in the region in 2016.