Two top Maoist leaders known to be close to the slain ultra-left leader Kishanji were arrested from the city by a Special Task Force of Kolkata Police today ahead of the first phase of Bengal assembly polls on April 4.
Acting on a tip-off, the STF arrested Bikash alias Manasram Hembram and his wife Tara, also known as Thakurmoni Bancharam, from the Brigade Parade ground in the heart of the city at around 12.10 pm, police said.
Bikash was the secretary of West Bengal state military Maoist Commission and also member of other wings of the Maoist groups and Police were looking for him for a long time.
One 7.6mm pistol, two magazines, nine rounds of live ammunition and letters written in tribal language were seized from them, the police said.
Police also raided the couple's rented accommodation at Chaparui village in Hooghly district and seized one AK 47, 120 rounds of bullets, and Maoist literature, he added.
"He (Bikash) was involved in Maoist incidents at Sankrail, Silda, Gowaltor, Lalgarh and we were looking for him for a long time," the police said.
The two had probably gone to the city to meet a Maoist leader hiding here. "We are questioning them and are trying to find out answers to our questions," a top police officer said.
The six-phase assembly poll in the state begins on April 4 and will end on May 5.
