Andhra couple behind spurt in naxal violence, claims police

A couple based in Andhra Pradesh were responsible for the spurt of Naxal violence in Bihar and Jharkhand, a senior police officer claimed on Wednesday.

Confirming the arrest of agriculture scientist-cum-Maoist central committee member Ravi Sharma and his wife B Anuradha in Hazaribagh, Jharkhand, on October 10, Hazaribagh Superintendent of Police Pankaj Kamboj produced them before a news conference and claimed that they had been running the Maoist outfit in Bihar and Jharkhand.

"Ravi Sharma alias Arjun alias Mahesh alias Ashok and his wife B Anuradha alias Rajitha hail from Andhra and run the Maoist outfit in Bihar and Jharkhand since 1999," he said.

"The duo, arrested under Ichak police station in the district, is responsible for the sudden increase in Naxal violence in these two states. With their arrest, the Maoist movement is jolted," the officer said adding, "The police found the whole strategy of the movement recorded in a laptop seized from them."

The police may find vital information also in the diaries and letters recovered from them, he said.