Maoist 'zonal commander' arrested

"Naveen Majhi, the zonal commander and member of the Bihar-Jharkhand-North Chattisgarh Special Area Committee was arrested yesterday," Superintendent of Police Pankaj Kamboj and CRPF Commandant R N Sampar told a news conference here.

Alerted by the police headquarters that Manjhi had entered Jharkhand, he said the police and the CRPF had on May 29 launched operation in the jungles of Hazaribagh and Bokaro and caught him after surrounding the areas.

The 37-year-old Maoist, wanted in Jharkhand, Chattisgarh, West Bengal and Bihar, once commanded over 1000 cadres under him, the SP said, adding as the figure had gone down to 30, he came to recruit tribal boys and girls.

Majhi guided the police to a house from where his "lover" Gita alias Sangeeta alias Manisha was arrested, he said. Rs 3.82 lakh, a cell phone, some documents and clothes were seized from the place, the SP said.