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Suspected Maoist from Bonda tribal community arrested

BERHAMPUR: A Maoist from Bonda tribal community, who was allegedly involved in Govindpalli ghat road landmine blast, was nabbed in Malkangiri district of Orissa on Friday.

Eleven jawans of the Special Operation Group (SOG) were killed in the landmine blast in Baipariguda block of Koraput district near Malknagiri district border on April 4. The SOG personnel and local police raided Khemaguru village to nab the 25-year-old naxal, Chandra Kichipadia. Fifty electronic detonators, gelatine and bundles of electric wires used for detonation of landmines were seized from his possession.

Confesses to crime

He confessed that he was also serving as courier of equipments used for landmine blasts from Hyderabad. He is being interrogated to get the details regarding the plan and conspiracy behind the Govindpalli landmine blast.

Most alarming fact about this arrest was that Chandra is the first naxal from reclusive Bonda tribe to be arrested by the police.

It revealed that Maoists are trying hard to extend their support base to the primitive Bonda tribals living in extreme remote areas of Malkangiri district.

The naxals in Malaknagiri are said to be having good base among Koya and Konda Reddy tribals.

Naxal efforts

Initial interrogation of this Bonda youth revealed that the naxals had started making efforts to get inroads into Bonda minds through their propaganda about two years ago. But the small tribe living in the north-west of Machakunda river are still reclusive and want to preserve themselves from modern world. So, as per Chandra, the naxals have not succeeded to woo many Bonda youths to their fold due to it. According to him, at present three other Bonda youths are in the naxal outfit.

Menial labour

The Inspector-in-charge of Malkangiri Poliec Station, R.K.Pati, said the Bonda youths like Chandra who were wooed by the naxals are from ‘Tala Bonda' area which is closer to outer world. Chandra had education up to class V. In the past, he also migrated to Hyderabad to work as a menial labourer. So, in the recent past naxals were also using him as courier of equipments for landmine blasts from Hyderabad.

Chandra was close to Uday and Sukadev, commanders of Machkund Dalam of the banned CPI (Maoist) organisation. Sukadev alias Budra Kobasi is from Koya community.

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