Kolkata: Stepping up anti-Maoist operations,
joint security forces on Wednesday carried out searches and raids in
Purulia and West Midnapore districts of Junglemahal and seized
a huge quantity of arms and explosives.
Two Insas rifles, 100 rounds of AK47 and Insas rifle
ammunition, 60 kg of explosive materials, mines, gelatine
sticks and fuse wire were seized from Purnapani, a area
between Salboni and Lalgarh police stations in West Midnapore
district, police sources said.
District superintendent of police Praveen Tripathy said
the searches followed the questioning of PCPA convenor Asit
Mahato who was arrested from Gorneta village on November 13.
Mahato, the prime accused in the Jnaneswari Express train
disaster carrying a cash reward of Rs 1 lakh on his head, was
arrested following information provided by five arrested
Maoists.
Yesterday, 200 rounds of ammunition, 13 country-made
rifles and 85 kg of explosive powder were seized from
Berabagdorha in Kotwali police station area by the joint
forces in the same district, police sources said.
In Purulia district, the joint forces under
Superintendent of Police, Counter Insurgency Forces, Manoj
Verma, were searching for the Ayodhya squad of the Maoists who
allegedly killed two Trinamool Congressmen Ajit Singh Sardar
and his son Baku Singh Sardar at Ghatbera on Monday night,
while two ultras were killed in a subsequent encounter.
Searches were also made at Balarampur, Arsa, Bagmundi and
Bandwan police station areas, the sources said.
PTI
