4 PLFI members held in Khunti

Ranchi: Acting on a tip-off, the Khunti police have nabbed four members of the extremist organization, People Liberation Front of India (PLFI), including a self-styled area commander, from the Regde forest under Jariagadh police station area, police said on Friday.
The arrested are area commander Prashant Kumar and members Nitish Gope, Mithlesh Gope and Bahan Gope. One pistol, one country-made gun, 13 cartridges, four mobile phones, PLFI pamphlets and receipts, a car and an auto-rickshaw were seized from them.
Khunti SP Aman Kumar said, “The PLFI members gathered in the Regde forest to commit a crime. A team led by additional SP Ramesh Kumar was sent to the area on Thursday for necessary action. Four of the extremists were arrested while the others managed to escape from the spot taking advantage of the forest and bushes.”
During questioning, the extremists said PLFI chief Dinesh Gope before his arrest appointed Prashant as the area commander. The new person was brought in after many PLFI leaders were either arrested or killed.
The accused had burned an earth-mover machine in Kotengsera under Torpa police station area on May 19 to increase the front’s influence and extort businessmen and contractors, police said.
Prashant is an accused in three cases registered with the Torpa police station under sections of IPC, the Arms Act and the Criminal Law Amendment Act.