A team of the National Investigation Agency with help of Odisha Police arrested a hardcore Maoist carrying a bounty on his head from Swabhiman Anchal in Odisha’s Malkangiri district, NIA sources said on Wednesday.
The arrested Maoist, Ranju Khila alias Chanti, was allegedly involved in the killing of four BSF personnel including a commandant in 2012.
He was earlier arrested by the police for his role in the attack on the BSF personnel and was released on bail in 2018. Since then he was absconding.
As he never appeared in court proceedings and was untraceable, the NIA registered a case against him and launched a manhunt. A reward of Rs 3 lakh was also announced on his head.
Based on inputs from the state police, the NIA on Tuesday apprehended Chanti from Swabhiman Anchal.
Swabhiman Anchal, earlier known as the cut-off area, was once considered a Maoist hotbed. Left-wing ultras operating in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh and Chhattisgarh used to take shelter in the area as it was almost inaccessible for security personnel.