Eight Maoist activists arrested with weapons in Aurangabad

Police in Aurangabad have arrested eight Maoist activists during a special operation. The arrests took place over the past 48 hours. Authorities recovered five rifles, 13 live cartridges, and Maoist literature from the suspects. Aurangabad's superintendent of police, Ambareesh Rahul, shared that police received intelligence on March 7 about armed Maoists extorting money from a canal construction company. This led to a formal complaint and the creation of a special investigation team, headed by sub-divisional police officer Sanjay Pandey. Through careful investigation and multiple raids, police arrested the eight rebels, all from Aurangabad district. The arrested individuals include Lalu Singh, Chhotan Kumar, and others. During the operation, authorities found four long-range rifles, a homemade Sten gun, and a backpack belonging to military personnel. Police also discovered a ledger noting levy collections from local brick kiln owners and farmers. It was revealed that the Maoists had been extorting money from various local businesses for some time. The arrested group stayed in contact with higher-ranked members and operated under their instructions, including demanding money from the canal construction company.