5 Naxals, allegedly involved in attack on police vehicle, held

Police have arrested five Naxals allegedly involved in blowing up of a police vehicle in Chhattisgarh's Dantewada district in which seven personnel were killed last month.

The cadres, active members of 'Jan-militia' of Maoists, were arrested yesterday from Perpa-Pirnar village under Kirandul police station limits by local police, Dantewada Additional Superintendent of Police (anti-Naxal operations) Gorakhnath Baghel told PTI.

The arrested Naxals were identified as Deva Kunjami, Kosa, Baman Kunjami, Bheema Netam and Baman Karma.

They were associated with the Naxal movement for the last four years and looked after the security of senior cadres during their visit to local villages apart from putting up Maoist pamphlets and banners, conducting recee and cooking meals, he said.

Seven policemen died when Naxals blew up their SUV between Cholnar and Kirandul in the district on May 20.

As per a preliminary probe, local Naxal leaders and lower-rung cadres in Kirandul area had held a planning meeting on May 18, the police officer said.

The five men arrested yesterday had attended the meeting, and were assigned various tasks as part of the plan to carry out the attack, the ASP said.