Close aide of Kishenji arrested

A close aide of top Maoist leader Kishenji and main accused in the Jharkhand MP Sunil Mahato murder case was arrested from a forest in Salboni in West Midnapore district on Friday.

Acting on a tip-off, joint forces of Special Action Force and local police raided a Maoist hide-out in Ranja forest and arrested Rajesh Munda, whom the police described as a close aide of Kishenji, along with three others -- Rajesh Hansada, Mongol Soren and Gopinath Mandi.

Munda was also suspected to be involved in the February 15 attack on Sildah EFR camp, in which 24 jawans were killed, besides attacks on Gidhni EFR camp, that claimed four lives, and Sankrail EFR camp, they said.

Sunil Mahato, the MP from Jamshedpur, was murdered in full public view by Naxalites during a Holi celebration on March 4 near Narsingh village of Jamshedpur district. His two  bodyguards and a party colleague were also killed in the attack.
Some rifles, cartridges and gelatin sticks were recovered from them, police said.