Huge cache of looted arms and ammunition seized from four Maoists in West Bengal

New Delhi, Nov 12(ANI): In a well-coordinated operation, personnel of West Bengal police and the Central Reserve Police Force arrested four Maoists in rebel-infested Paschim Medinipur district.

A huge cache of arms and ammunition was also seized from the arrested Maoists.

Addressing the media on Friday, Praveen Kumar Tripathi, Superintendent of Police, Paschim Medinipur, said that the prime accused after the arrest and seizure is an ultra identified as Suman Maiti alias Saota, who was in possession of an AK-47 rifle and ample ammunition and used to operate a squad in Metalajangal, Choto, Kalsivanga and Pairachali villages of Jhargram Block.

"Based on intelligence inputs we learnt that a squad of Maoists under Suman Maiti alias Saota was active in Metalajangal Choto Kalsivanga and Pairachali villages. They had taken shelter in one of the houses and had plans to execute gory deeds. So I had detailed consultation with the Commandant of 50 Battalion of CRPF, we organized the raid and seized the huge cache of arms and ammunition from their possession Pairachali," he said.

"When we confronted and rounded up Suman Maiti, he tried to fire at our police party. But we overpowered him and we were able to arrest three more aides of his squad named Uttam Mahato of Lalgarh, Benoy Mahato and Shyampada Mahato of Pairachali."

"We seized an AK-47, three magazines and 45 rounds from Suman Maiti. There was also a rocket launcher in their possession. Stern grilling resulted in the four arrested ultras spilling the beans as to how they had hid arms in the jungles of Tarki, Mathurapur, Baghghora forests," he added.

He also mentioned that a part of the huge cache of arms seized at the behest of Suman Maiti was looted from the camp of EFR (Eastern Frontier Rifles) at Silda couple of months ago.

"Indeed, the seized weapons and ammunition happen to be a big catch. Besides AK-47s rifles, 3 carbines, 8 mm, 5.5 mm, five sophisticated arms and three INSA rifle were seized and most of these were looted from the camp of EFR at Silda," said Tripathi. (ANI)