Posing as Maoists, four men try to extort Rs 20 lakh, held in Jharkhand

CHATRA: Four people were arrested for allegedly attempting to extort at least two construction companies in the name of Maoists in Jharkhand's Chatra district, police said on Thursday.

The accused persons kidnapped and beat up workers of a company engaged in building a bridge in the district and demanded a ransom of Rs 20 lakh from the entity posing as Maoists, a senior officer said.

The four were arrested on Wednesday, Chatra Superintendent of Police Rakesh Ranjan said.

"Some workers of the company building a bridge in Tandwa were kidnapped and beaten up by the criminals on August 10 and later Rs 20 lakh was demanded from the entity in the name of a Maoist organisation.

"In another incident, on September 21, a levy was demanded from another construction company. FIRs were registered in both the cases," Ranjan said.

A task force was constituted to probe into the complaints by the construction entities, he said.

"Four mobile phones, eight SIM cards, two vehicles and a leaflet of a Maoist organisation were seized from the accused," police said. The four were booked under various sections of the IPC.