Maharashtra: 3 hardcore Naxals including a female cadre arrested by Gadchiroli police

Three diehard naxals – including a female cadre – against whom the government had issued rewards have been arrested from the jungles of Bhamragarhon on Sunday by the C-60 commando force in a joint operation with the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) battalion. The trio was involved in cases of murder, firing and arson, among other crimes. The Gadchiroli police has managed to arrest 57 hardlined naxals in past two years.

According to the Gadchiroli police, they received specific source-based intelligence on Sunday and accordingly launched an operation involving police commandos and jawans of CRPF Battalion 37 in the jungles of Mauja Koyaar (Bhamragarh) where two naxals – Ramesh Pallo, 29, and Tani alias Shashi Chamru Pungati, 23, – were arrested. The third naxal – Arjun alias Mahesh Rainu Narote, 27 – was arrested from the jungles of Mauja Jharewada. While Bhamragarh residents Pallo and Pungati carried a reward of Rs 4 lakh each, Narote from Etapalli carried a Rs 2 lakh reward.

Speaking about the criminal history of the accused, superintendent of police (Gadchiroli), Ankit Goyal said, “Pallo had joined the naxal group in 2019 and was working as a scout team member. He was involved in three cases of murder, four cases of firing, one arson and another criminal offence. Pungati had joined the naxals in July 2015 and was involved in four cases of murder and three firing cases.”

Goyal added that Narote had joined the group in 2010 and was a member of Perimili Dalam at the time, later joining Sironcha Dalam. “From May 2018 onwards, he had been working with Bhamragarh Dalam. He was involved in 24 criminal cases, including seven cases of murders, nine firing cases, two arson cases, two riot cases and one robbery case,” said the police official.