Five Naxalites including four women apprehended in Gadchiroli

Gadchiroli, May 20 (PTI) Police in eastern Maharashtra's Gadchiroli district on Tuesday arrested three women Naxalites and detained two minors who collectively carried a reward of Rs 36 lakh on their heads, officials said.

The district police had received intelligence about 50 to 60 Naxalites gathering in Binagunda Mauza in Bhamragadh area with a plan to attack police personnel, said a release issued by Superintendent of Police Neelotpal.

Seven squads of C-60 commandos -- a special anti-Naxalite unit of the district police -- and a squad of CRPF battalion no 37 were sent to the area on Sunday. The C-60 commandos cordoned off Binagunda village on Monday and detained five Naxalites with weapons, it said.

Of the three arrested women, Ungi Hoyam (27), a divisional committee member in `platoon 32' of the Maoists, was carrying a reward of Rs 16 lakh on her head.

Pallavi Midayam (19), working as `platoon party committee member' was carrying a reward Rs 8 lakh on her head, while Deve Podiyam (19) was carrying a reward of Rs 4 lakh. All three hail from Chhattisgarh.

The other two Naxalites -- a male and a female -- are suspected to be minors and carried a collective reward of Rs 8 lakh. They were detained and would be produced before the juvenile justice board.

A Self-Loading Rifle (SLR), .303 rifle, three single shot rifles, two Bharmar guns, three walkie-talkie sets and other items were seized from their possession.

Anti-Naxal operations will be intensified in the region, SP Neelotpal indicated. PTI CLS KRK