Bihar cops get success against Naxals

BEGUSARAI/NAWADA: Following an encounter with the CPI(Maoist) near Karauna Soti under Birpur police station, Begusarai police arrested 10 rebels on Friday afternoon. Also on Friday, Nawada police destroyed a Maoist opium farm at Jamdaha village under Rajouli police station. The arrested persons included armed women members of the banned outfit. Besides, the police were successful in recovering a huge cache of arms from the Maoists that included four rifles, one of them a looted police rifle, two pistols of foreign make and a country-made pistol.

Police also recovered uniforms used by the rebels during their armed operations. Begusarai SP Amit Lodha said two policemen were injured in the gunbattle that lasted for more than an hour. He said the police had gone to the place following a tip off that the Maoists were having a secret meeting near Karauna.

In Nawada, police carried out the raid on the opium farm following a tip-off that the Naxals were growing opium at Jamdaha. When the raiding party reached the village, the Maoists fired on the security forces forcing the latter to retaliate.

Police recovered a loaded rifle, some gunpowder and other explosive devices from the area. Police also came across a “katta” factory in the village which was later destroyed along with the illegal opium plants grown on a five-acre plot.

Nawada SP Vinod Kumar said the Maoists cultivated the opium to generate funds. The SP said three persons have been arrested. “The arrested persons are directly or indirectly associated with the Maoists,” he said.

Source: The Times of India, March 29, 2008

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