Gadchiroli, June 28 (UNI) Security forces have apprehended high-profile Naxalite commander, Manu Silajpalo alias "Uncle", during counter-insurgency operations in Maharashtra's Gadchiroli district, police announced today.
The arrest marks a significant breakthrough in ongoing anti-Naxal operations, police said Saturday.
Acting on intelligence, a joint team of Maharashtra Police and State Reserve Force personnel detained Silajpalo at Kawande village (Bhamragarh taluka) on June 27 after observing suspicious movements during routine patrols.
Following identification as a Naxal commander, he was transferred to Karkheda police custody.
Today, a First Class Magistrate court sanctioned a seven-day police remand for further interrogation.
Silajpalo carried a Rs six lakh government bounty for his role as deputy commander of the Korchi Dalam unit.
Police investigations reveal that he joined the Naxal movement at age 13, initially operating with Chhattisgarh's NIB company before transferring to Bhamragarh Dalam in 2017. Since 2020, he directed operations from the Kawande forests along the Maharashtra-Chhattisgarh border.
The suspect faces direct involvement in two major attacks: the May 2, 2019, landmine explosion in Jambholkheda that killed 15 security personnel, and the March 29, 2021, encounter in Khobramendha forest.
His capture enables investigators to pursue critical leads regarding these operations and broader Naxal activities in the region.
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