SAMBALPUR: A hardcore Maoist, Artaa Bhoi, was arrested by Sambalpur police from Bamnipali village under Jujumura police limits on Friday. Bhoi (30), who was out on bail, was allegedly involved in violence and arson at the stone crusher unit of ARSS Infrastructure at Mundher on October 25. Addressing newsmen, Sambalpur SP Nikhil Kanodia said the attack on the stone crusher unit of ARSS was carried out with an intention of extortion. Bhoi was armed with INSAS rifle during the attack on the unit. Bhoi, a resident of Barloi village under Jujumura police limits, was an armed cadre of the banned outfit and had 17 cases pending against him. Arrested in 2005 and bailed out in 2009, Bhoi is an important member of the outfit in Sambalpur-Deogarh region and has been providing logistics support to the outfit, helping them to regroup, Kanodia informed the media. After his release from jail in 2009, Bhoi was working as a driver till he came in contact with the Maoists, who are trying to regain their base in the district. Acting on information provided by Bhoi and following an encounter with the Maoists on October 26, police recovered 10 detonators, three gelatin sticks, 10 metres of fuse wire and a battery from Jadu Loisingh forest. They also recovered one mobile phone and Rs 5,000 from Bhoi’s possession. The mobile used by Bhoi had pictures of Maoist cadres, including females, Maoist camp and it would act as evidence in the court. The Rs 5,000 recovered from him was given to him to arrange for food for the Maoists, Kanodia added. The SP said, during interrogation, Bhoi revealed that the armed Maoists are now into extortion for funding their activities and attacking the police. He disclosed that most of the cadres are from Jharkhand, speak in Munda dialect and want to gain a foothold after being rejected by the people.
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