Jamshedpur, June 27: Policemen posing as farmers arrested an armed Maoist, who was a member of the outfit’s Ghurabandha squad, while he was crossing a bridge over the Subernarekha at Dalbhumgarh in Ghatshila sub-division early this morning.

Ravi Ghodai (20), a resident of Nandigram in West Midnapore, Bengal, was caught around 4am at Gian village, 70km from Jamshedpur. He was on his way to Dalbhumgarh, 20km farther, with an aide.

Sub-divisional police officer Naresh Prasad said they were tipped off that the two rebels were planning to cross the Subernarekha at Ghogloghat from Ghurabandha.

A team of police, disguised as farmers, waited for the duo from before dawn.

“A police team led by sub-inspector Sanjay Kumar Singh spotted two persons on a bicycle. As they were crossing the river, the police gave them a chase, but managed to nab only one. The one who was riding the bicycle managed to flee,” said Prasad.

The police frisked Ghodai and seized a loaded pistol and an empty cartridge.

Prasad said the arrested rebel divulged that he belonged to the 15-member squad led by Maoist zonal commander Kanhu Munda, which is active in Ghurabandha.

“Ghodai revealed that the two were headed for Dalbhumgarh to carry out a poster campaign and a recce for planting explosives,” said Prasad.

At Gian village, the police recovered two old guns, a photocopy machine and Maoist literature from a hideout.