A “Maoist courier,” who was allegedly involved in around 50 cases of violence during his stint as a dalam member of the banned CPI (Maoist) in the areas straddling the Telangana-Chhattisgarh border in the past, was arrested from Bodanelli forest area in Charla mandal on Wednesday.
According to the police, the accused, identified as Podium Jayaram alias Guruji, 30, of a remote village on the border mandal, was nabbed after a brief chase by a combing police party when he tried to escape along with some Maoist militia members in the forest area near Chintaguppa late on Wednesday afternoon.
Explosive materials including ten gelatin sticks, two detonators, electric wire bundles and batteries were seized from his possession.
Police said an intensive search operation was launched in the Bodanelli forest area on Wednesday based on credible information that the rebels were moving in the interior forest belt to trigger blasts targeting the police parties coinciding with the 20th anniversary of People's Liberation Guerrilla Army (PLGA) formation.
According to the police, Jayaram joined the outlawed outfit in 2006 and worked in the organisation in various capacities, including as militia member and Area Committee Member till 2015. Since then, he has been working as the main courier for the CPI (Maoist) State committee secretary Haribhushan alias Lakma and Bhadradri Kothagudem-East Godavari division secretary Azad.
Producing the accused at a press conference in Bhadrachalam on Thursday, Bhadrachalam Assistant Superintendent of Police Dr G Vineeth said Jayaram has around 50 cases of various offences, including those booked under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) pending against him in Telangana as well as in Chhattisgarh.
He alleged that the Maoist leaders were coercing local people to work for the outlawed outfit against their development aspirations and trying to scuttle development in tribal areas.
“The Maoist cadres, including the militia members, should give up the path of violence and join the mainstream to avail all kinds of support to lead a normal life,” he added.
