Rifles, IED, Detonator Seized From Kuchai, Chandil Forest Areas
Key Points:
- Seraikela-Kharsawan police recover weapons based on arrested Maoists’ disclosures
- Regional committee member Raghu Singh Sardar, sub-zonal commander Meena Pahariya held
- Joint operation with SSB’s 26th battalion unearths rifles, ammunition, IED
SERAIKELA – Police here have scored a major success in their ongoing campaign against Naxal activity, recovering a cache of weapons, live ammunition and explosive material from forests in the Kuchai and Chandil police station areas. The recovery followed the interrogation of two arrested members of the banned CPI-Maoist organisation.
Among those arrested was Raghu Singh Sardar, alias Sagar Singh Sardar, alias Biren Singh, alias Sagar, identified by police as a member of the outfit’s regional committee and its West Bengal-Jharkhand-Odisha border committee. Also detained was sub-zonal commander Meena Pahariya, alias Nepu Pahariya, around 26 years old.
Police said Pahariya has a case registered against her at Balrampur police station in West Bengal, and investigators obtained a remand order from the court to question her further. Based on disclosures made by both during interrogation, teams conducted raids at Sikramba forest in the Kuchai police station area and Dalma forest above Asanbani village in the Chandil police station area.
According to information released by Seraikela police, the recovered material included two .303 rifles, three magazines and eight rounds for the .303 rifles, one country-made pistol, a 5.56mm INSAS rifle, a 7.62mm SLR rifle with three magazines, and four magazines for the INSAS rifle.
Officers also recovered 171 live rounds of 7.62mm ammunition and 126 live rounds of 5.56mm ammunition. A separate 9mm country-made pistol was seized along with 12 live 9mm rounds and two magazines for the weapon. Police additionally recovered an IED and a detonator, which were later defused by a bomb disposal squad.
The recovery operation was carried out jointly by Seraikela-Kharsawan police and the 26th Battalion of the Sashastra Seema Bal, based in Ranchi. Police teams from Kuchai, Chandil, Nimdih and Seraikela police stations took part in the operation alongside SSB personnel.
The district’s Superintendent of Police said anti-Naxal operations are continuing in affected areas of the district. Officials said further disclosures are expected as interrogation of the two arrested cadres continues.
Monday’s recovery follows a broader anti-Naxal push across the Kolhan region, with a separate joint surrender programme for Maoist members also scheduled at Chaibasa this week under the supervision of senior police and CRPF officials.
