Arrested Maoist is top cadre Girish: Police

BARGARH: The suspense surrounding arrest of  hardcore Maoist Dhirendra Mahto alias Girish ended on Tuesday with the Bargarh Police producing him with an accomplice Shankar Cherua alias Munda (21) of Nuagaon, Jareikela under Manoharpur police limits in West Singhbhum in court. The police have recovered a loaded revolver, 12 live cartridges, one compass, maps of Odisha and Bargarh, sketches of district armoury and Bargarh police station besides Maoist literature and ` 2,290 in cash.Bargarh SP Kavita Jalan claimed that acting on specific intelligence report, Girish and his cohort were arrested from Canal Road in Attabira in the wee hours of Tuesday. While Girish is considered a prize catch, Shankar Cherua had joined the organisation last year.A native of Jharkhand, Girish had contributed to the growth of the CPI (Maoist) in Sundargarh, Sambalpur, Deogarh and of late, Bargarh.As many as 23 cases have been pending against him in Sambalpur district including the recent attack on ARSS Stone Crusher at Mundher on October 25, 2011. He was also wanted for acts of violence in Deogarh and Bargarh.