Bhagalpur, Jan. 2: Suresh Yadav alias Nagendra, the Maoist area commander nabbed by Banka and Jamui police on December 31 night, has confessed to his involvement in the attack on Bihar Military Police camp at Akbarnagar, demolition of Sangrampur block office and Garua school building and killing several people.

More than two dozen cases are pending against him in different police stations in the two districts.

The arrested rebel was the CPI(Maoist) area commander of Sangrampur and used to collect levy on behalf of Birbal, the area commander of the Jamui-Bhagalpur zone of CPI(Maoist). A 9mm automatic pistol, six live cartridges, a cellphone, Rs 5,000 and Naxalite literature were seized from his possession.

“Suresh is a prized catch for the police because he is an important figure in the organisation’s eastern Bihar activities. His arrest would certainly affect Birbal’s squad’s operations. He confessed to his involvement in several cases and we also managed to extract vital clues from him,” said a senior police officer at Banka on condition of anonymity.

“Acting on a tip-off, Banka police and CRPF personnel raided some places on December 31 night and nabbed Suresh near Khasia village under Belhar police station in Banka,” the police officer added.

Last night, Bikash Verman, the superintendent of police (SP) of Banka, told reporters that combing operations were launched on the orders of A.K. Ambedkar, inspector-general of police, Bhagalpur zone after seven bodies, belonging to three residents of Kanudi hamlet in Simultala of Jamui district and four of Tihar hamlet under Katoria police station were recovered on December 31.

“Belhar station house officer Monoranjan Bharati and Rakesh Kumar, the deputy commandant of 131 battalion, CRPF, nabbed Suresh during search operations on December 31,” the SP told reporters.

Verman added that Birbal was also present in the vicinity but managed to flee.