Ranchi, Dec. 8: A self-styled sub-zonal commander of the outlawed CPI(Maoist), identified as Surendra Ram, was today nabbed from Makri village under Bhavnathpur police station of Garhwa district while he was campaigning for his wife Seema, a panchayat poll contestant.

Seema is vying for the post of ward member from Makri village.

Police sources revealed that following a tip-off, a joint team led by officer in-charge, Bhavnathpur police station, Shankar Thakur, and Sadar deputy superintendent of police, Garhwa, Ashok Kumar, raided the village and arrested Ram, while he was trying to woo the locals to vote for his wife.

A countrymade revolver and six live cartridges along with Naxalite literature were later recovered by the police from his residence.

The police added that Ram was the head of the extremists operating in river basins of Sankh and Koel that spreads across Garhwa, Latehar, Palamau, Gumla and Lohardaga districts.

Sources revealed that Ram was wanted by Jharkhand police in connection with the murder of a chowkidar at Pachadumar village of Garhwa and another person in September this year, besides seven cases of loot and arson.

They added that Ram was also on the wanted list of Uttar Pradesh police.

The panchayat election in the state, which began on November 27, will conclude on December 24.

According to unconfirmed reports, a number of outlawed extremists and their family members have filed nomination for the polls.