Maoist arrested in Bihar's Aurangabad district

A Maoist leader has been arrested from Aurangabad district of Bihar during a police raid, a senior officer said.

Acting on a tip-off, a special police team nabbed the self-styled commander of CPI(Maoist) yesterday near a brick kiln in the district, Superintendent of Police Satya Prakash said.

"We received information that around a dozen Maoists, under the leadership of their leader Vipin Sharma, have gathered in the area for a meeting. Three special teams were immediately constituted to carry out the raid. One of the teams managed to arrest the Maoist leader," he said, adding that the other rebels managed to escape into a nearby forest.

The arrested leftwing extremist has been identified as Sarju Ram, a resident of Banahi village in Pouthu police station area of the district, the SP said.

Ram, a history-sheeter, has several criminal cases filed against him in Goh and Bandeya police stations.

A country-made carbine, a modifier, two live cartridges and Rs 880 in cash were recovered from the Maoist leader's possession, the officer added.