A 19-year-old Naxalate was arrested from a village barely 12km from the steel city with police describing him as “hardcore” for his close ties with a “squadron leader” who had recruited him in the CPI(Maoist) when he was eight.

The Naxalite, Piun Birohore, is wanted for four cases against him for attacks on police teams and detonating EIDs between 2015 and 2018.

A resident of Ghatshila sub-division, Piun was arrested from his maternal uncle's house where he had been staying for a fortnight apparently to help him during the paddy sowing season after having deposited his rifle with, and obtained “leave” from, Sampara area squad leader Ashim Mondal.

Additional SP (Naxal Operation) Gulshan Tirkey said the Piun was staying in a thatched house belonging to this uncle at Chhotabanki village.

"We acted on an intelligence input. We could not recover any firearms. But Piun is a big catch. We are interrogating him to get information about Ashim Mondal and other active Naxalites active on the Jharkhand-Bengal border," Tirkey told The Telegraph Online.

The additional SP said Piun was recruited by Ghatshila squadron leader Madan Mahato in 2009 when he was just eight-year-old.

"Mahto trained him in the use of arms when he was 13. After he gained proficiency in the use of AK-47s and other sophisticated firearms, Mahto inducted him into the squad," the senior police officer said.

Police sources said Piun was valuable as he had information on the whereabouts and activities of both Madan Mahto and Ashim Mondal, and also a very senior woman Naxalite by the name of Bela.

“Beladi used to hide in East Singhbhum during anti-insurgency operations. We will try our best to get more information on her, too,” Tirkey said.