Malkangiri: Police have arrested five persons for allegedly extorting money from the people, claiming themselves to be Maoists, in Odisha’s Malkangiri district.
According to police sources, the five persons used to claim themselves as Maoists and demand money from the people. They were threatening the targeted persons of killing them in Praja court if they failed to relent to their demand.
After they made similar threat to Bhaktaram Sisa, Naib Sarpanch of Badapada panchayat, the latter filed a complaint at Chitrakonda police station. Following investigation, the police arrested all the five fake Maoists.
The arrested persons have been identified as Jagu Hantal, Mano Pangi, M Narayan, Binod Jena and Umakanta Madhavi. While three of them belong to Badapada, two others are from Malkangiri.
The police have also seized a gun, Maoist letter and three mobile phones from their possession.
Following their arrested, the accused persons were forwarded to the court on Sunday, said Malkangiri DSP Laxmidhar Swain.
