Jiram valley attack suspect among three Naxals held in Chhattisgarh's Dantewada district

Raipur: Three Naxals, one of them allegedly involved in the 2013 Jiram valley attack that left 31 people, including several prominent Congress leaders, dead, were on Sunday arrested in Chhattisgarh's Dantewada district, police said.

The ultras, carrying cash rewards on their heads, were apprehended from the forests of Kuakonda police station limits by a joint team of District Reserve Group (DRG), Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and district force, Dantewdaa Superintendent of Police Kamlochan Kashyap told PTI.

Of the arrested, Bandi alias Bandu (30), who was active as Peddaras LOS (local organisation squad) deputy commander of Maoist, was allegedly involved in the Jiram?valley attack in Darbha region of Bastar in which prominent Congress leaders were killed, he said.

Bandu was also allegedly involved in Tahakwada attack under Tongpal police station limits killing 15 security personnel and a civilian on March 11, 2014, the SP added.

Similarly, equally dreaded Pandaru Podiami (30), deployed as a military platoon section commander, was apprehended. He was allegedly involved in several deadly Maiost attacks, including the killing of 6 police personnel in the forested hills of Tadkel in 2008, the SP said.

However, six ultras were also gunned down in Tadkel attack, he added.

The duo were carrying a bounty of Rs 3 lakh each on their heads. Another cadre Sukhram (38), who was working as a member of military platoon number 16 and carried a reward of Rs 2 lakh, was arrested, Kashyap added.

On May 25, 2013, Naxals had ambushed Congress's parivartan rally convoy in the Jiram valley when it was on the way towards Jagdalpur from Sukma.

A total of 31 people, including the then Chhattisgarh Pradesh Congress Committee (CPCC) chief Nandkumar Patel, his son Dinesh, former Union Minister Vidayacharan Shukla, former leader of opposition Mahendra Karma, and ex-MLA Uday Mudliyar, were killed and several others injured?in the attack.