Tuesday, December 18, 2007

AP: Police confirm arrest of two Maoist leaders

Tuesday December 18 2007 13:45 IST

Express News Service

GUNTUR: Ending the week-long suspense, the police today announced that they have arrested CPI (Maoist) Prakasam District Committee Secretary Singa Prasad and Gundlakamma area committee member Juthavath Ramsingh Naik alias Keshav on Sunday night.

It may recalled that senior Maoist leader Sagar alias Panduranga Reddy, who was arrested a few days ago, claimed on December 10 that Prasad and Keshav were in police custody and based on their confession, the police unearthed a dump comprising nearly 10 kg gold articles and Rs 7 lakh cash in the Nallamala forests.

The police, however, denied the arrests. Producing the two Maoists at a media conference here, District SP Mahesh Chandra Laddha and OSD Ravi Prakash said that they were arrested at Mrutunjayapuram in Nujendla mandal on Sunday night.

Even the Maoists 'vouchsafed' the police version saying that they were held on Sunday night while making a phone call after meeting their party colleagues Murali, Ashok, Nirmala and Vimala.

Giving the details of the cases in which the duo were involved, Laddha said that Prasad, a native of Bommalapuram in Prakasam district, joined the movement in 2000 after he was influenced by Maoist leader Jeevan. He is accused in 10 murder cases.

Keshav, who is a native of Rajanayak Thanda of Bollapalli mandal in Guntur district, joined the movement a few years ago.

He was area committee member of Gundlakamma and also worked as sentry to district Maoist leaders. Keshav was involved in five murders cases.

The Maoists said there were no further recruitments and the party has become weak after holding talks with the Government in 2004. To a query, they said that senior Maoist leaders Jeevan and Sambasivudu were not in Nallamala at present.

Laddha said that the police initially mistook Prasad for another Maoist Meesala Prabhakar but later ascertained his identity. He also appealed to seven other Naxalites, including Prabhakar and Nagamani to surrender.

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