Patna, Jan. 21: Security personnel today demolished a bunker and arrested six Maoists, including a self-proclaimed area commander, in Rohtas and Sheohar districts.

The securitymen found a country-made carbine, one country-made rifle, two pistols, as many cane bombs, detonators and explosives during the operation. The police had on Friday arrested about 12 rebels and found a huge cache of weapons, including an AK-56 and an AK-47 rifle, on them.

Acting on a tip-off, a joint team of the Central Reserve Police Force, the special task force and the district police carried out a raid at Rampur Luk village under Nutwar police station in Rohtas and arrested five Naxalites, including “area commander” Chandra Singh, alias Paihari Yadav.

The other arrested Maoists were identified as Sugandh Kumar Yadav, alias Sugan, Mithilesh Kumar Singh, Bhim Ram, and Surendra Singh, alias Naga Singh alias Nagdev.

Rohtas superintendent of police (SP) Manu Maharaj said one country-made carbine, a country-made rifle, two desi kattas and 15 bullets were seized from the possession of the arrested persons.

In the forests of Hermeta under Nauhatta police station, security personnel demolished a bunker and found police uniform, cane bombs, detonators and other explosives. “The operation is on,” Maharaj told The Telegraph.

Continuing the drive against the Maoists for the second consecutive day today, a joint team of Muzaffarpur and Shoehar police carried out a raid at the house of one Anjali Devi at Tariyani Chhapra village on the border of the two districts.

Devi, allegedly an active member of the banned outfit, was also taken into custody. Sheohar SP Natasha Gudia said the operation against the Maoists would continue. Arms licences       

Arms licences have been given to 61 tribals for self-defence against Maoists in Rohtas , officials said.

They were living at a base camp at Chenari for the past several months. Now they have returned to their villages and the arms licences were issued after assessment of threats from Maoists, sources said.

“They were issued arms licences to instil confidence and enable them to defend themselves in the event of attacks by rebels,” district magistrate (DM) Anupam Kumar said.

Kumar said: “Twelve of them have bought firearms and presented them to the police authorities for verification yesterday.” superintendent of police (SP) Manu Maharaj said any misuse of guns would lead to a cancellation of the licences.

More than 500 tribal people left their villages in Rohtas, Nauhatta and Chenari blocks and took shelter at a base camp at Chenari after a series of attacks in July last year in Kaimur forest range in which five persons were killed, 13 others injured and 21 houses set ablaze by Maoists.