Daijiworld Media Network - Seraikela
Seraikela (Jharkhand), Sep 11: Security forces have recovered a huge cache of arms and ammunition, including 317 live cartridges and an improvised explosive device (IED), during an anti-Naxal operation in Seraikela-Kharsawan district, police said on Friday.
The recovery was made during a joint search operation by the district police and the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) in forested areas under the Kuchai and Chandil police station limits.
Police officials said the operation was launched based on information obtained during the interrogation of recently arrested Maoists.
The arrested Maoists have been identified as Raghu Singh Sardar alias Sagar Singh Sardar, Biren Singh and Meena Pahadia alias Nepu Pahadia.
According to police, Raghu Singh Sardar was an active member of the CPI (Maoist)'s Regional Committee as well as its West Bengal-Jharkhand-Odisha Border Committee.
Meena Pahadia, around 26, was active as a sub-zonal commander of the banned outfit and is wanted in several cases registered at Balarampur police station in West Bengal.
Following court-sanctioned remand, the accused were interrogated, leading security agencies to alleged hideouts in the Sikramba forests of Kuchai and the Dalma forests above Asanbani village in Chandil.
Intensive searches at the locations led to the recovery of a substantial arms cache.
The seized weapons included two .303 rifles, one country-made pistol, one INSAS 5.56 mm rifle and one SLR 7.62 mm rifle.
Security forces also recovered three SLR magazines, four INSAS magazines, three .303 rifle magazines and two magazines for a 9 mm pistol.
The ammunition comprised 171 rounds of 7.62 mm cartridges, 126 rounds of 5.56 mm cartridges, 12 rounds of 9 mm ammunition and eight .303 cartridges, taking the total number of cartridges seized to 317.
An IED and a detonator were also found concealed in the forest during the operation. A bomb disposal squad was immediately rushed to the spot and safely defused the explosive device.
The operation involved personnel from the Seraikela-Kharsawan district police and the 26th Battalion of the SSB, Ranchi.
Police teams from Kuchai, Chandil, Nimdih and Seraikela police stations also participated in the search operation.