Security forces have arrested seven naxals along with a firearm and some explosives from Chhattisgarh's insurgency-hit Narayanpur district, police said.
Acting on a tip-off, the cadres were apprehended from the forest of Bechagaon village under Narayanpur police station limits yesterday, Narayanpur Superintendent of Police Santosh Singh told PTI.
A team of state's District Reserve Guard (DRG) had launched a search operation towards Bechagaon, around 300 kms from here, he said.
When the patrol party was cordoning off the jungles of Bechagaon Tekri, it spotted the cadres who were trying to escape into core forest, said the official.
The rebels fired upon the patrolling team with their muzzle loading gun while fleeing but no one was harmed, he said.
However, the rebels were rounded up after a short chase, the official added.
The arrested were identified as Guddu Ram Hichami (28), Deuram Hichami (25), Juru Mandavi (25), Guddu Ram Potai (21), Katia Ram Nureti (25), Budhuram Mandavi (22) and Popendra Mandavi (24), he added.
They were active as members of janatana sarkar squad, militia group and cultural wing - Cheta Natya Mandli (CNM) of Maoists.
Besides, one muzzle loading gun, three Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs of 15 kg, 6 kg and 4 kg), electricity wire, 100 gm explosive powder and other maoist-related materials were recovered from their possession, the SP said.
They were allegedly tasked with collecting ration for ultras, arranging meeting of villagers, spreading maoist propaganda and planting IEDs to harm security forces, he added.
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