4 suspected Maoists arrested

"Four Maoist sympathisers were arrested for their involvement in blocking the road by felling trees and keeping explosives in a bag near Dabnai rivulet in Mainpur area where the explosion took place during the wee hours January 6," SP Ramgopal Garg said.

The arrested have been identified as Gopal Nagesh (48), husband of Jarandi village sarpanch, Ramnath Shori (21), Santosh Patel (25) and a minor, he said.

On getting a tip-off about their involvement in the incident, the police rounded them up and they accepted their involvement during interrogation, he said.

"They were nabbed from Jarandi village under Mainpur police station limits of the district," he said.

An additional superintendent of police and two constables were injured when an improvised explosive device (IED) planted inside a bag by Maoists exploded after they tried to open a zippered canvas bag found near the road.

Gopal Nagesh accepted that he had provided wire, switch, bag and rations to Maoists before the incident, while a muzzle loading gun was recovered from the area, he said.

Maoist banners were recovered from the possession of Ramanth Sori, who is reported to be a Maoist Jan Militia member, while Santosh and the minor had helped Maoists block the road by feeling trees, he said.

The arrested have been sent to judicial remand.