Bihar cops in Gujarat to seek transit remand of Maoist

PATNA: Hardcore Maoist Rajesh Ravidas alias Uttam (33), who was arrested at Vapi in Gujarat’s Valsad district by the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) of the Gujarat Police on Friday, is likely to be brought to Gaya on transit remand within a day or two.

According to sources in police headquarters here, while a Gaya police inspector had left for Vapi on Friday night, another police team was sent to the Gujarat town on Saturday to bring Uttam back.

Uttam, a resident of Bahorma village under the Atri police station area in Gaya district, is accused in several Maoist-related cases registered with Gurpa, Mohanpur and Fatehpur police stations in Gaya and Rajauli and Sirdalla police stations in Nawada. He had been living at Vapi by changing his identity for the last few months.

Sources said Uttam was presumed dead after an encounter with Special Task Force (STF) of the state police that took place in the jungles of Mahua under the Rajauli police station area on September 17 this year.

“However, the STF and CRPF personnel were awaiting confirmation of his death. In the meantime, intelligence officials in Bihar got information that Uttam had shifted to Vapi. The intelligence officials shared the information with their Gujarat counterparts and Uttam was finally arrested on Friday by the ATS personnel,” sources said.

Uttam is a sub-zonal committee member of the Magadh zone of CPI (Maoist). He was part of an armed cadre of the rebel outfit led by dreaded Maoist commander Pradyuman Sharma. Pradyuman, incharge of the special area committee of Magadh zone, carries a reward of Rs 50,000 on his head. He is wanted in more than 51 Maoist cases.

Sources said Uttam and other members of his cadre had blown up a railway station building under construction at Sirdalla in Nawada district on November 4, 2016.

“Security forces were on the lookout for the members of the cadre. However, Pradyuman, Uttam and some others managed to escape during an encounter with CoBRA commandos of the CRPF in the jungles of Thamkol under the Sirdalla police station area on March 8 last year. Four other Maoist commanders were killed in the encounter and an AK-47 rifle, two INSAS rifles and an SLR were recovered from their possession,” the CRPF sources said, adding Uttam was last seen at his native village four-five months back.