Naxal involved in killing of 76 CRPF jawans in Tadmetla held

A Naxal involved in the 2010 Tadmetla incident in which 76 security personnel were killed as well as several other deadly attacks was arrested from Bijapur district in Chhattisgarh, a police official said on Monday.

Moti Ram Awalam (30) was an active member of "PLGA Battalion No 1", considered the strongest military formation of the outlawed movement, headed by wanted Maoist "commander" Hidma, and was carrying a reward of Rs 8 lakh on his head, he said.

"He was apprehended between Patelpara and Golgunda villages by a joint team of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Special Task Force (STF) and district police on Sunday," he said.

"Awalam, who hails from Naimed area of the district, was wanted in connection with several major Naxal attacks in south Bastar between 2010 and 2017. He was part of the Maoist squad that executed the 2010 attack near Tadmetla village (then in Dantewada, now in Sukma), in which 76 security personnel were killed. He was also involved in the 2017 Burkapal Naxal ambush in which 25 CRPF personnel were killed," the official informed.

The official said Awalam was wanted in connection with the 2016 Kasalpaad Naxal attack that killed 16 CRPF jawans, as well as the 2015 Tondamarka attack and 2016 Pidmel attacks, both leading to the death of five troopers each.

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