Two Maoist militias, who reportedly triggered the landmine blast that killed two Border Security Force personnel, including a deputy commandant, were arrested in Koraput district of Odisha on Friday.
They were identified as Basudev Pradhani (37) of Kadkipani village and Bhagaban Minarbalia (28) Mathpadiaguda. According to police sources, both were part of the Maoist group that had triggered the landmine blast on January 8 afternoon, targeting the BSF personnel travelling on bikes on the Ramgiri-Dandabadi road inside Kaliajhula jungle under Boipariguda police station limits.
The slain BSF personnel were head constable Sibasish Panda and deputy commandant Sunil Kumar Behera. They were part of the 143rd BSF battalion, now deployed in Koraput district, for anti-Maoist operations.
The BSF troop targeted by the Maoists was returning to their base at Ramgiri after combing operation in the region following murder of a trader named Bapi Samant at Dandabadi village in the same police station area on January 7 night. According to the anti-Naxalite cell of Koraput district, Basudev and Bhagaban were also involved in Bapi’s murder.
Both these Maoists were part of Boipariguda area committee under Malkangiri-Koraput border division of the outlawed CPI-(Maoist) organisation. As per initial findings, they were key members of this area committee of Maoists with close links with its leaders. They were working for the Maoists for the past five years, police sources said.
Initially they were only providing food, shelter and strategic support to the Naxalites. Later they got promoted as militias to get directly involved in violent acts of Leftist extremists.
The arrest coincides with the visit of Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh to Koraput on Friday to review the anti-Naxalite operations continuing in the region.
