The Gadchiroli police on Sunday arrested two hardcore female maoists and one jan militia carrying Rs 5.50 lakh collective reward announced by the Government of Maharashtra for their arrest.
According to the police, CPI (Maoists) are observing their Tactical Counter Offensive Campaign (TCOC) from February to May 2024. During this TCOC period in which various violent incidents against security forces are being planned in the backdrop of the upcoming Lok Sabha General Elections 2024, Gadchiroli Police has arrested two active female Maoists involved in several violent incidents against security forces, as well as one Jan Militia member who was involved in the murder of a Police Patil in Titola Village in November 2023. A Jan Militia member is a term used to describe a part-time member of the CPI(Maoist).
With the objective of conducting disruptive activities and to conduct recce of movement of security forces on the eve of the upcoming General Elections 2024, information was recieved that two female Maoists from Etapalli in Gadchiroli, namely Kajal alias Sindhu Gawade (28) and Geeta alias Sukli Korcha (31) were roaming suspiciously in the dense forests of Mauja Javeli on Gadchiroli- Kanker Border. Government had announced reward of Rs 2 lakh each on their arrest.
Based on confidential information received, immediately an operation team was launched who apprehended them while conducting the area search. Further investigation revealed that in the year 2020, in the Koparshi-Poyarkoti forest area, they were directly involved in planning ambush and an exchange of fire between the Police and Maoists in which an officer and one commando of C60 had attained martyrdom. Accordingly, they have been arrested in the said case.
In November 2023, Police Patil of Titoda village was murdered in Titola Pamajiguda forest area. The accused, a Jan Militia member named Pisa Pandu Narote, resident of Etapalli in Gadchiroli, was on the run since the incident. Based on a confidential information received, that the accused is hiding in Gilanguda forest area police team conducted a special operation immediately and the accused was apprehended in the said murder case.
"Kajal alias Sindhu Gawade has been involved in maoist activities since 2012 and since 2020, she has been working as a member of the DVC (Divisional Committee) till date. She has been involved in seven cases of encounters with the police between 2019 and 2021. In 2019 she was also directly involved in case of planting IED," said a police officer.
He added, "Geeta alias Sukli Korcha has been involved in maoist activities since 2018. In 2019, she was involved in an exchange of fire with Police in the Morometta - Nelgunda forest area. In 2020, she was involved in planning an ambush and an exchange of fire with Police in the Koparshi - Poyarkoti forest area. In this exchange of fire one officer and one men of C60 were martyred. In 2021, she was involved in an exchange of fire with Police in the Koparshi forest area. She was also involved in two other cases of murders."
Jan Militia Name: Pisa Pandu Narote has been involved in maoist activities since 2018. "Since 2018, he has been living in the village as Jan militia. His tasks included bringing rations to the Maoists, performing sentry duty, hiding the Maoists' weapons in secure locations, providing information to the Maoists through reconnaissance about police movements, distributing Maoist pamphlets to the public, and undertaking other subversive activities. He was involved in three cases of murders. Government had announced a reward of Rs 1.50 lakh on his arrest," the officer said.
Due to the intensified operations conducted by the Gadchiroli Police, a total of 77 hardcore Maoists have been arrested since January 2022.
