Two more rebels involved in the murder of five policemen at Khukru Haat under Tiruldih police station in Seraikela-Kharwsawan on June 14 were nabbed on Thursday evening, taking the total number of arrests in the case to 11.
The arrested duo, identified as Mangal Topno alias Lallu and Soyana Singh Sardar alias Mota, are members of CPI(Maoist) squad headed by Mahraj Pramanik’s.
In an interaction with the media on Friday, Seraikela-Kharsawan superintendent of police (SP) Karthik S. said: “We had received a tip-off about the presence of Mangal and Soyana near Palna dam in Chandil. A special team rushed to the spot and nabbed the duo by surrounding the entire area last (Thursday) evening.”
He said Soyana and Mangal had attacked two of the five policemen with sharp-edged weapons before shooting them dead. The rebels then took away the service pistols of the two assistant sub-inspectors and Insas rifles of the three constables, fired shots in the air while shouting anti-police slogans and zoomed off on their bikes.
Karthik said Soyana and Mangal had divulged that one of their fellow rebel Selem Munda was injured when one of the cops opened fire in self-defence when the Maoists attacked them at Khukru Haat.
Selem had succumbed to his injuries at a village in Tiruldih the same night.
The senior police officer also revealed that both Mangal and Soyana were also involved in an IED blast targeting police at Hudongda in Seraikela on May 20. One of the rebels identified as Pradeep Swashi was killed in an encounter soon after.
“We had heard about the death of two rebels in police firing at Khukru Haat and Hudongda, but became sure only after the latest arrests. The rebels had beheaded both their dead companions and buried their bodies in a Saraikela and Tiruldih jungle, respectively,” Karthik added.
The SP said 21 rebels belonging to CPI(Maoist) squads of Mahraj Pramani and Anal had butchered five cops at Khukru Haat. “Nineteen other rebels from both these squads had done a recce of the spot and the escape route. So far, we have arrested 11 rebels directly involved in the murder. Efforts are on to nab the remaining 10, including Mahraj Pramanik and Anal.” Karthik said.
