Maoist 'courier' held with explosives, rice stock in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur

A suspected Maoist courier has been arrested in Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur district and police have recovered from him a cache of explosives and a huge stock of rice meant for senior Maoist cadres, an official said on Thursday.

Acting on a tip-off, the accused, identified as Nirmal Jumde, a native of Cherpal village under Bijapur police station limits, was arrested on Wednesday, Bijapur Superintendent of Police Anjneya Varshney said.

A consignment of 2,500 kg of rice, 10 gelatin sticks, eight detonators, 20 metre cordex wire, 100 Maoist pamphlets, banner and literature were seized from him, he said.

The police swung into action after getting information that Jumde allegedly received money in advance from Maoist leaders Lingesh and Shanti Vijji, who were active under west Bastar division committee of Maoists, to supply explosives and premium quality rice for senior cadres, he said.

Jumde was rounded up on Tuesday and during interrogation he told the police that he had received Rs 60,000 from Maoists on May 19 for supplying these materials. He procured the rice from a market in Bijapur town on Monday and collected explosives from another Maoist supplier, the official said.

The accused loaded 100 sacks of rice, each weighing 25 kg, and the explosive materials in a truck and drove towards Savnar forest in Gangaloor area the same day.

He stocked the consignment at a hut in Regadgatta village as trucks could not go beyond it inside the forest, he said.

Based on his statement, the consignment was seized from the location on Wednesday, the SP said.

A case has been registered against the accused and further investigation is underway, he said. Further interrogation of the accused may facilitate the arrest of other Maoist suppliers active in the area, the official said.