14 Naxals arrested from separate places in Bijapur district

Bijapur, Jan 24 (PTI) As many as 14 Naxalites, eight of them collectively carrying a cash reward of Rs 36 lakh on their heads, were arrested from separate places in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur district on Friday, police said.

The cadres, including five women, were apprehended from forests of Tekmetla, Nadpalli and Mallempenta villages under the Usoor police station area of the district, the site of a major encounter on January 16, a police official said.

A joint team of the state police's District Reserve Guard (DRG), the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and its elite unit CoBRA (Commando Battalion for Resolute Action) were involved in apprehending the Naxals, he said.

Of them, Kamli Kodem (28), Chaite Sodhi (26), Jogi Sodhi (24) and Raje Sodhi (33), all active as members of central regional committee (CRC) company No. 2 of Maoists, were carrying a reward of Rs 8 lakh each on their heads, the official informed.

Four others, identified ask Deva Madakm (40), Kosa Madvi (39), Linga Kuhrami (25) and Hunga Kunjam (25), were active in different wings of Maoist units and carried a reward of Rs 1 lakh each on their heads, he said.

The other arrested cadres were active as lower-rung members, according to the official.

All the 14 Naxalites were allegedly involved in incidents of planting improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and iron spikes to target security personnel, he added. PTI COR TKP RSY