Naxals received a blow today when a hardcore Maoist, a close aide of Kishenji and allegedly involved in the blowing up of a train track, was arrested in Jharkhand's West Singhbhum district, barely a fortnight after another top leader was nabbed.
Marshal Topno, who is the second prized catch after the arrest of Venkateswar Reddy alias Dipak on 2 March, was nabbed when police was carrying out a combing operation in Maoist-hit Posaita area, superintendent of police Akhilesh Kumar Jha said.
Topno is alleged to be among those involved in blowing up of rail tracks, resulting in derailment of several coaches of the 322-up Tata-Bilaspur passenger on November 19 that left two people dead.
Giving details of Topno's arrest, the official said three others had managed to escape from the police cordon but firearms, five can-bombs and a motorcycle were seized from the Maoist leader.
Asked whether the ongoing combing operation was a part of 'Operation Green Hunt', Jha said it was a regular process to flush out the left-wing extremists.
West Bengal police had on March two arrested Dipak, the suspected mastermind of the attack that killed 24 Eastern Frontier Rifles personnel in Silda in West Midnapore district.
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