The joint action of the security agencies of Palamu and Garhwa succeeded in arresting Ravindra Mehta alias Chhota Vyas, the ‘sub-zonal commander’ of the Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist), carrying INR 500,000 bounty on his head, from adjoining Budha Pahar under Bhandariya Police Station area in Garhwa District of Jharkhand on August 20, reports hindi.asianetnews.com. Many cases registered against Chhota Vyas in Gaya and Aurangabad in Bihar. Chhota Vyas, a resident of Kaudiya under Vishrampur Police Station in Palamu District, was active in the area of Chhakarbandha as well as Budha Pahar. Chhota Vyas, who was involved in the killing of 15 cadres of Tritiya Sammelan Prastuti Committee (TSPC), a splinter group of the CPI-Maoist, in 2013-14, is accused of several major Naxal [Left Wing Extremism, LWE] attacks in Jharkhand and Bihar.
Meanwhile, the National Investigation Agency (NIA), on August 18, has filed a supplementary chargesheet against an explosive supplier in a case related to the killing of five Police personnel in a Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) attack in Jharkhand three years ago, reports The Print. The supplementary chargesheet was filed before the NIA special court in Ranchi against Abraham Tuti alias Sukram, an over-ground worker of the CPI-Maoist on August 18, a spokesperson for the federal anti-terror agency said. Earlier, the NIA had charge-sheeted 25 accused on April 15, 2021 and August 3, 2021 in the case which was registered following the deadly attack on a Police patrol by CPI-Maoist cadres on June 14, 2019, at Kukru Haat in Seraikela Kharsawan District of Jharkhand, in which five Police personnel were killed and their arms and ammunition were looted by the attackers. The spokesperson said investigations have revealed that the Tuti was part of a criminal conspiracy hatched by the local commanders of CPI-Maoist, and was involved in providing logistic support and raising funds besides procuring explosive materials for commission of the terrorist acts.