Patna: A joint team of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and the district armed police (DAP) launched a combing operation in Maoist-hit villages of Nawada district following intelligence inputs that a hardcore Maoist, Pradumna Sharma, was hiding there.

Pradumna, the self-styled zonal commander of the banned outfit, is learnt to have shifted there to reorganise the group, which received a setback following the arrest of some top Maoists during a special drive in the region.

The raiding team led by additional superintendent of police (operation) Kumar Alok carried out searches in the villages under Sirdala block of the district. Sirdala, Meksaur, Rajauli, Govindpur and Kauwakol areas were considered to be a Maoist hotbed.

Pradumna, a resident of Hulasganj in neighbouring Gaya district, reportedly shifted base to Bihar in the wake of the concerted drive against Maoists in Jharkhand. A fierce encounter had taken place between Maoists and security forces in Sirdala in 2015.

"The topography of the region makes the job of the police force more difficult. Sirdala and Gaighat forests are considered a safe zone of Maoists as the areas are inaccessible," said Nawada superintendent of police S. Hari Prasath.

Another fierce gun-battle took place between security forces and Maoists in Kauwakol on December 5, 2017. Pradumna is said to have led three major operations in Nawada, which borders Jharkhand.

ASP (operations) Alok said patrolling was intensified and extra precautions were being taken in Maoist areas in the wake of a two-day bandh call by Maoists, which would end at midnight on Wednesday. No untoward incident has been reported, he said.

Nawada SP Prasath meanwhile visited Pokharia Kol village, a Maoist stronghold, and inquired about the 2015 encounter. No SP has ever visited the village since the incident three years ago.

The Enforcement Directorate had recently confiscated Pradumna's movable and immovable property.