New Delhi, Jan 12 (IANS): The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Wednesday conducted searches at four locations across three states linked to alleged suspects in the case of killing of five police personnel in Jharkhand's Saraikela Kharsawan district in 2019.

The raids were conducted in Seraikela Kharsawan and Ranchi, one location in Bihar's Munger district, and one location in West Bengal's Purulia district.

A police party was attacked by CPI-Maoist cadres at Kukru Haat in Saraikela-Kherswan on June 14, 2019, and 5 personnel killed and their arms and ammunition looted.

The case was initially registered on June 15, 2019 at Tiruldih police station, Jharkhand and the probe taken over by the NIA on December 9, 2020.

"During the course of investigations, it surfaced that the suspected persons are members of CPI-Maoist, a proscribed terrorist organisation, and were working as Over Ground Workers. They are suspected to be involved in providing arms ammunition, explosive material and other logistic support to the armed cadres of CPI-Maoist. It was also revealed during investigations that they were part of criminal conspiracy hatched by the armed cadres of CPI-Maoist for commission of the instant crime," an official said.

During the searches, digital devices and various incriminating documents have been recovered and seized.

Further investigations in the matter are on.