Construction firm employee held for alleged link with Maoists

An official of a construction firm has been arrested for his alleged link with Maoists in Odisha's Malkangiri district, police said Sunday.

Taraknath Paul (41) was picked up from Poplur Road near Doraguda village in the district on Friday evening and detonators, electric wires were seized from his possession, Malkangiri Superintendent of Police Jagmohan Meena said.

"Paul failed to give a convincing reason for moving around in a desolate area with detonators and electric wires. The police patrol team also seized from him several documents, a bag with Rs 61,000 cash and a mobile phone," he said.

During interrogation, Paul confessed that he was supposed to meet a Maoist leader in Poplur forest and hand over the cash and detonators to the rebels, the SP said.

"The accused, who hails from a remote village in Kalimela police station area, also told police that he had been supplying explosive materials, funds and other logistics to the Maoists for a while now," Meena added.