Naxal wanted by Jharkhand police held in Gujarat

Gujarat Police's Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) Wednesday arrested here a suspected Naxal from Jharkhand who was carrying a reward of Rs 1 lakh on his head.

Based on a tip-off, an ATS team raided a factory on the outskirts of the city and arrested Sitaram Birbal Manjhi (45), native of Topchanchi block in Dhanbad district, a police release said.

He was hiding in Gujarat for the last five years, the ATS said.

He is accused of carrying out a landmine blast in Dhanbad during the 2014 Lok Sabha polls. The Jharkhand government had declared a bounty of Rs 1 lakh on his head.

Manjhi told the ATS that he joined Dhanbad-based Naxal group 'Krantikari Kisan Committee' in 2004 and was arrested in 2009 for attacking the Angarpathra railway police station, the release said.

He allegedly confessed that while out on bail he and his associates carried out a landmine blast to target a police vehicle during the 2014 polls.

He then fled to Gujarat and was working as a labourer at a factory in Odhav area here. A year ago he joined another factory from where he was nabbed Wednesday.

Manjhi would be handed over to Jharkhand Police, the ATS said.