Patna, Dec 22 (IANS): Two hardcore Maoist operatives who have been on the run for the last 12 years were finally arrested on Saturday in Bihar's Bodh Gaya, the police said.

The arrested individuals have been identified as Kaushal Yadav and Aditya Bhuiyan a.k.a. Kundan.

According to Ashish Bharti, Gaya Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), the two were implicated in multiple cases of criminal activities across Gaya and surrounding districts.

Kaushal Yadav, also known as Krishna Yadav, was wanted in seven cases, including the murders of three persons in 2013.

Kaushal Yadav and his accomplices attacked MCC (Maoist Communist Centre) operative Sanjay Yadav and his two companions while they were returning from the village Ankola in 2013.

They had murdered the people whom they targetted, and their weapons were looted. This was a high-profile case where 10 other accused had already been arrested, leaving Kaushal Yadav as one of the main absconders.

Aditya Bhuiyan, also referred to as Kundan, had more than six cases registered against him.

“We had received intelligence about the movement of the accused in the Bodh Gaya area. A special team was formed, leading to the successful arrest of both fugitives,” Bharti said.

The arrests of these two Maoist operatives not only resolve pending cases but also underscore the police's commitment to apprehending individuals who evade the law for extended periods.

Kaushal Yadav is a resident of Devaniya village, under the jurisdiction of Dhangai police station, Gaya district. He has been implicated in seven criminal cases, including the 2013 attack on MCC operative Sanjay Yadav.

Aditya Bhuiyan alias Kundan was involved in an incident in 2012 near Baghpur forest, under the jurisdiction of Dumaria police station. In that incident, he, along with his associates, attacked a police team and looted their belongings and weapons.

Some policemen were injured in that attack too. Apart from this case, he was also involved in more than 6 cases as well.

“Kaushal Yadav and Aditya Bhuiyan were key figures in multiple violent cases spanning over a decade. These two have extensive criminal records. Their apprehension follows actionable intelligence and a strategic raid in the Bodh Gaya area,” Bharti said.