Naxal couple carrying cash reward of Rs 8 lakh, involved in deadly attacks, arrested in Chhattisgarh's Sukma

After an encounter that took place in the limits of Gadiras police station, the security personnel arrested a Naxal couple, said Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) Kiran Chouhan, elaborating that the cadres were carrying cash reward on their head.

The arrested Naxal cadres were identified as Muchaki Hidma and Kunjam Kosi, the officer said, elaborating that Hidma was carrying a cash reward of Rs 8 lakh on his head while Kosi was carrying a bounty of Rs 2 lakh.

From the possession of the arrested couple, the team has recovered six electric detonators, five gelatine rods, wire, batteries, Naxal banners-posters and other materials, the officer elaborated.

According to the officer, Hidma was associated with the banned organisation in 2015 as a member of Chetna Natya Mandali (cultural wing of Naxals), active as a member of platoon-25 under the Malger area committee from 2015 to 2017 and in 2018, he was elevated as deputy commander of military platoon-24.

He was allegedly part of the ultras' team that blasted a mine-protected vehicle in 2015 in the Dantewada district leaving five security personnel dead. Similarly, he was allegedly indulged in exploding the vehicle ferrying security personnel in Dantewada in 2016 wherein seven jawans were killed.

Hidma was alleged to be the part of Naxals' team that executed an attack in Dantewada's Aranpur-Nilawaya road in 2018 killing two security personnel and a journalist. After the attack, ultras looted the AK-47 of a jawan. Moreover, he was allegedly involved in the attack that killed seven jawans in the Kirandul area in Dantewada in 2018.

Investigation revealed that Kosi had joined the banned organisation as 'Bal Sangham' in 2013 and was eventually elevated as a member of military platoon-31 under the Kanger valley area committee, said the officer, elaborating that she was involved in separate incidents that took place in the district. (ANI)