Maharashtra ATS apprehends Jharkhand Maoist leader carrying Rs 15 lakh bounty

The Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) officials on Sunday detained an alleged CPI (Maoist) operative from Nalasopara who carries a reward of Rs 15 lakh on his head.

The detained person has been identified as 45-year-old Karu Hulas Yadav, originally a resident of village Dodga, Tehsil Katkamsandi, Hazaribagh District in Jharkhand.

According to the police, the Thane unit of Maharashtra ATS had received specific information about Yadav, following which they conducted the raid at a chawl in Dhaniv, Ramnagar, Nalasopara (E) on Sunday, in an early morning operation and detained Yadav.

Yadav, a Regional Committee Member of the banned CPI (Maoist) in Jharkhand, had a wound on his left leg and was in Nallasopara for medical treatment for the last two months, the police sources said.

"Yadav has been active in CPI (Maoist) since 2004. A preliminary probe has revealed that he had come to Maharashtra for some medical treatment. We have informed Jharkhand Police about the operation and further enquiry is going on," said an ATS official.

The police sources said that Yadav's custody would be handed over to the Jharkhand police, who would further probe as to who was providing logistical support to Yadav to stay in Nalasopara and if he has any base of active associates in Nalasopara and other parts of the state.

According to the ATS, Yadav had been involved in at least 31 criminal cases in Jharkhand, including murder, attempt to commit murder, theft, assaulting public servants, assault, extortion and using firearms.

Maharashtra has managed to arrest 57 hardcore Naxals in the past two years.