NIA arrests Maoist operative from Munnar

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has arrested an alleged Maoist operative from Munnar in Idukki.

According to the police, the arrested has been identified as Sawan Tutu Dinabu, 30, of Jharkhand who has has been working as a plantation labourer on the Godarvilla Estate in Munnar for the past 18 months.

According to Idukki District Police Chief K.M. Sabu Mathew, the NIA team arrested the accused with the support of the Kerala Police. The NIA team arrested the accused around 10.30 p.m. on Monday and shifted him to the Munnar police station. Later a police team from Idukki accompanied the NIA team in a special vehicle and shifted him to Kochi. The accused will be produced before the NIA court in Kochi, said the officer.

According to sources, the arrested is a suspect in an LED bomb blast at the West Singhbhum district of Jharkhand on March 4, 2021 in which three officers of the Jharkhand Jaguar (STF) were killed and several others were injured. The NIA had chargesheeted 19 in the case on September 7, 2021. However, Sawan has been absconding. His wife was also with him at Munnar.

According to sources, the NIA team has been monitoring his movement.