Bhubaneswar: A two-member and special team of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) quizzed top Maoist leader Dubasi Shankar alias Arun Thursday in connection with killing of as many as four BSF personnel in an ambush near Balimela of Malkangiri in 2012.
A source said that the ultra Shankar had led the ambush in which a BSF Commandant died including three others. He was previously brought to Jharpada Jail in Bhubaneswar from Boipariguda through an order of the SDJM court in Jeypore town of Koraput.
“NIA team had filed a petition with Jeypore SDJM seeking permission to interrogate the top Maoist leader Shankar with a purpose to extract more information regarding the ambush,” the official source said.
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Shankar is suspected to be involved in two cases which took place in Koraput district, 18 cases in Malkangiri, 32 cases in the neighbouring Visakhapatnam of Andhra Pradesh and 24 cases in Telangana.
The top cadre red rebel was wanted in many crimes and carried a bounty of Rs 20 lakh on his head. He was arrested by the security forces in Koraput September 14, 2021.
The ultra leader Shankar was an active member of the outlawed CPI (Maoist) faction since 1987. He was involved in a number of violent attacks conducted in Odisha, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.
Maoist leader Shankar is a native of Medak district and had joined the Indrapuriyal Area Committee group in Telangana in 1987.
The hardcore rebel worked in Medak till 2004 prior to being promoted to the rank of Special Zonal Committee Member. Subsequently, he moved to Andhra-Odisha Border Special Zonal Committee (AOBSZC) and was inducted into the State Military Commission in 2010.
It is pertinent to mention, left wing extremism has been successfully combated in Odisha.
PNN