NIA arrests key accused involved in 2023 deadly attack on security personnel in Chhattisgarh

New Delhi, Dec 19 (PTI) In a major breakthrough, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Thursday arrested an absconding accused wanted in 2023 fatal attack on the security force personnel in Chhattisgarh, according to an official statement.

The attack took place around 1.20 pm on April 26 last year when CPI (Maoist) cadres ambushed and "attacked a Toofan vehicle used by the state’s District Reserve Guards (DRG) team, killing the driver and 10 jawans near Pedka chowk in Aranpur", it said.

Along with other arrested co-accused, Bandra Tati was directly involved in the terror attack conspiracy of the banned terrorist organisation, said the statement issued by the NIA.

The accused was arrested with the help of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and the Chhattisgarh Police.

Besides transportation of improvised explosive devices (IEDs), he was engaged in providing security/logistics support to the core module for execution of the fatal attack, the NIA investigations in the case have revealed.

Chhattisgarh Police had chargesheeted 26 accused persons in the case last year. The NIA, which took over the investigation in February this year, is continuing with its probe to unearth the larger conspiracy behind the attack on security forces by the cadres of CPI (Maoist).

The NIA on Thursday also conducted extensive searches across two districts of Chhattisgarh’s Bastar region as part of its continuing investigations in a CPI (Maoist) terror activities case.

A total of five locations linked with suspects were searched in different parts of three police station areas -- Gangloor, Bhairamgarh in Bijapur district and Jagargunda in Sukma district, another statement said.

The NIA teams seized smart phones, SIM cards and other incriminating documents during the searches.

The case, originally registered by the Bijapur Police in May 2023, relates to the recovery of Rs 6 lakh from two suspects, Gajendra Madvi and Laxman Kunjam, in Kotwali Bijapur area when they were on way to deposit the money in different bank accounts on the directions of CPI (Maoist) leaders.

The NIA, which took over the case in February this year, came across the names of several supporters and overground workers of the proscribed outfit during the course of investigations, the statement said.

"Today’s searches were part of the investigations against these suspects, believed to be involved in overground activities of the banned organisation, including channelising funds for the CPI (Maoist). Investigations are continuing as part of the NIA’s efforts to dismantle the Maoist ecosystem in the country," it added. PTI AKV AS AS