Seven Maoists arrested in Uttar Pradesh

LUCKNOW - Seven “active members” of the banned Communist Party of India-Maoist were arrested Monday in Uttar Pradesh’s Kanpur district, police said.

All the seven, who hail from Bihar, were nabbed in Naubasta town, some 90 km from Lucknow.

“They include the notorious Balraj, who is believed to have been working for Maoists since 1978 and is accused of killing security personnel in Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal,” Additional Director General of Police Brij Lal told reporters here.

Maoist literature and cash totalling Rs.8 lakh were recovered from the men.

Preliminary investigations reveal that the Maoists had planned to raise guerrillas in various Uttar Pradesh districts including Deoria, Kanpur, Kushinagar, Azamgarh and Allahabad.

Earlier Saturday, three alleged Maoists were arrested from Gorakhpur and Allahabad districts. Among them were Balraj’s wife Hiram Munda.