India: Naxal outfit PLFI's commander held in Delhi

Naxal fighters

New Delhi, Oct 30 (PTI) The Delhi Police has arrested a commander of the naxal outfit People's Liberation Front of India from Dhaula Kuan area here, officials said on Saturday.

The accused has been identified as Anurag Ram alias Anurag Sadlohar alias Dhalbir, they said. The police received information that the commander of the naxal outfit was hiding in Delhi.

Ram had been evading arrest after escaping from a lock-up inside Jashpur district court in Chhattisgarh, they said.

Ram was an active member of the PLFI and was wanted in several cases. He was hiding at the border area of Punjab and Haryana for the last seven years, a senior police officer said.

On Friday, police laid a trap near Dhaula Kuan Bus Stand and arrested the accused, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) Rajesh Deo said.

During interrogation, Ram disclosed that in 2012, he came in contact with PLFI members. He got hold of firearms and started extorting money. He had rivalry with some of his villagers and had also fired at a man in his village, police said.

On February 26, 2013, Ram along with his associates entered the house of a businessman and demanded Rs two lakh, the DCP said.

He was arrested in Jharkhand. Since he was wanted in cases registered in Jashpur, he was brought there on remand. On May 26, 2014, 23 under trial prisoners (UTPs) had been brought to the Jashpur district court from district jail for proceedings and were kept in the court lock-up there, Deo said.

Ram along with three other accused had escaped from custody, police added.