Four ultras of PLFI arrested from West Singhbhum, country-made pistols and live cartridges recovered

Jamshedpur, Aug 16: In a major breakthrough, the police and paramilitary forces arrested four ultras of People Liberation Front of India (PLFI) under Gudri police station area in West Singhbhum district on Saturday evening.�

Those arrested were identified as Somnath Sandil (20) Mahadev Gope (19), both residents of Gudri thana area, and Santosh Kumar Murmu (35) and Pandey Honhaga (23), both residents of Sonua in West Singhbhum.

The police seized two country-made pistols, two magazines, 10 live cartridges, two motorcycles and four cell phones from the possession of those arrested.

West Singhbhum superintendent of police, Indrajeet Mahatha said that they received a tip off that the movement of PLFI activists was on the rise at the Lodhai area where a number of projects are in progress.

“Acting on the information, we put up a checking point at a strategic place in Lodhai where forces belonging to CRPF’s battalion 60 were deployed.  During the raid in the evening, four bike-borne men were about to cross the checking point, but at the sight of police and paramilitary forces, they started running back.  On searching, the police found two pistols, ammunition and letters written on the letterhead of PLFI,” said the superintendent of police.

Mahatha said there were 16 letters which were written in the name of contractors and businessmen from whom those arrested were supposed to collect levy after sending them the letters.

The police and paramilitary forces have beefed up the naxal infested areas of West Singhbhum district. Sources informed that the police are frisking commuters in the bordering areas. At some places common people are also being interrogated by police and paramilitary forces on suspicion. Forces have been deployed in strategic locations. The district police have maintained that combing operations in the Maoist infested areas of the district will continue as usual and there is no letup whatsoever.

Meanwhile, security personnel have been asked to maintain strict vigil on the movement of people in vulnerable areas. He also informed that the forces were carrying out special operations in the naxal infested areas to keep the rebels confined in their hideouts. Security forces have launched intensive operations against the ultras in the naxal infested areas too.