Maoist alleged for murder and kidnapping arrested in Orissa

A hardcore Maoist, allegedly involved in the recent killing of a village ward member after kidnapping six persons, was arrested in Orissa's Malkangiri district on Saturday, police said.

Gangadhar Madhi was arrested during a joint combing operation by the elite Special Operation Group (SOG) and district police at Idikunda under MV-79 police station, inspector-in-charge of Malkangiri, R K Pati said.

"During interrogation, Madhi said that Maoists from Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Orissa were involved in the kidnapping of six persons from Poteru village on July 5," he said.

While five were set free, one person identified as Suresh Bandani, a village ward member, was awarded death sentence by the kangaroo court.

Bandani was punished for motivating Maoist cadres to abjure violence and surrender before the police, confessed Madhi.

Madhi was forwarded to the local court in Malkanagiri, he said.