As many as 15 police personnel and a private vehicle driver were killed when Maoists triggered an improvised explosive device (IED) blast. (Express Photo: Devanand Sakharkar)An electrical shop owner has been from Kurkheda town in connection with the May 1 IED blast that had killed 15 police commandos and the driver of a vehicle that was targeted by Maoists in Gadchiroli.
The 34-year-old accused, Kailash Premchand Ramchandani, has been sent to police custody for 12 days.
“We arrested him on Saturday on the basis of interrogation of the seven accused persons arrested earlier,” Superintendent of Police Shailesh Balkawde told The Indian Express.
He added, “He had supplied the blast material like wire, battery and switches.”
Asked if he had supplied the material knowing that it was going to be used in blast, Balkawde said, “He was aware of that. That’s why we arrested him.”
On June 16, the police had arrested senior-most Gadchiroli Maoist leader Narmada and her husband Kiran. Two more persons, Dilip Hidami, Parasram Tulavi were held on June 19. Later, three more persons, Somsay Madavi, Kisan Hidami and Sakru Gota were arrested on June 23.
The blast had occurred 6 km from Kurkheda, a day after the Maoists had set fire to 27 vehicles near Purada village, a few kilometres away from the blast spot.
