Muzaffarpur, Sept. 5: A dreaded Maoist, Radhe Mahto, who unleashed a reign of terror in Naxalite-hit Muzaffarpur, Vaishali, East Champaran, Sitamarhi and Sheohar districts in north Bihar, was arrested last night. Arms and ammunition, including an AK-47 rifle, were seized from his possession.

Giving this information, the deputy inspector-general of police (DIG), Tirhut range, Bachhu Singh Meena, said the Muzaffarpur police nabbed Mahto during an intensive vehicle checking operation and physical verification of passers-by on Rewa road under Saraiya police station.

The police found a bag containing 249 cartridges and an AK-47 rifle meticulously wrapped in it on Mahto who was walking down the road.

Mahto is a resident of Narayanpur village under Rajepur police station of adjoining East Champaran district.

The DIG told The Telegraph that Mahto has lately been involved in sev-eral Maoist operations carried out in Muzaffarpur, Sitamarhi and East Champaran districts.

The DIG said the police suspected Mahto supplied arms to the Maoists.

However, the police identified 50 cartridges out of 249 seized from Mahto belonging to 9mm pistols. Special Task Force personnel grilled Mahto and got vital clues about the organisational activities and other nefarious designs of Maoists.

Mahto has been remanded in judicial custody and sent to Khudiram Bose Central Jail under tight security.

Senior superintendent of police Rajesh Kumar said he has requested the jail superintendent, Vishwanath Prasad, to shift the arrested Naxalite to the terrorist cell and keep a strict watch on his activities.

The Tirhut-range DIG further said the police are planning to launch serious raids in both Sheohar and Sitamarhi districts on the basis of the informa- tion received from the arrested rebel.