Police have started cracking down on Maoist leaders by seizing their ill-gotten assets.

On the state government’s direction, Jamui police recently sealed the house of zonal commander Birbal Murmu at Chapalwa under the jurisdiction of Lakshmipur police station. The cops also put a board on the house comprising 10 big rooms with details about the move behind the seizure.

Murmu, a resident of Motiokur under the jurisdiction of Belhar police station in Banka, allegedly accumulated huge assets over more than Rs 50 lakh, including a house and other landed properties, at Chapalwa at Jamui. On November 13, he was shifted to Jubba Sahni Central Jail, Bhagalpur, from the Jamui district jail.

According to Jitendar Rana, the Jamui superintendent of police, cops had already sent details of illegal properties accumulated by top rebels in the district to the director-general of police (DGP). The DGP forwarded the proposal to the home department. After getting a go-ahead from the home department, the Jamui police swung into action and seized Murmu’s assets.

According to Rana, the police had sent the request for seizure of properties of Ramesh Hembrom, Ajay Sha of Lakshmipur and Polus Hembrom of Candramandi.

A native of Dhobotiya village under jurisdiction of Barhat police station in the district, Ramesh Hembrom, a goon, has alleged links with Maoists and owns a big house, landed property, SUVs and others. At present, he is in Jamui jail.

Ajay Sha, a resident of Gurmaha under jurisdiction of Lakshmipur police station, who was arrested by the police with an alleged levy amount of Rs 1.2 lakh on him, reportedly owned more than Rs 12 lakh in property, including houses, plots, a motorcycle and bank accounts. Ajay, along with his father Mahendar Sha, was arrested last year for their involvement in Maoist activities. He, too, is in Jamui jail.

“We are verifying each detail of the rebels and their properties. Seizing their illegal properties would help us demoralise them,” the officer said.