Maoist Bishi Pradhan being forwarded to court in Sambalpur. Telegraph picture

Sambalpur, Nov. 8: A section of residents of Mudtal village under Jujomura police limit today pleaded with the authorities to release Bishi Pradhan, who was arrested on Sunday for alleged involvement in Maoist activities.

The 45-year-old Pradhan was arrested from Mudtal for allegedly hatching conspiracy, harbouring rebels, collecting funds for them and providing logistic support to organise Maoist camps.

Pradhan was chargesheeted in the murder case of Meghpal sarpanch Kadar Singh in 2003 and kidnapping of Burda sarpanchs Jayaram Bhoi and R.P. Panigrahi in 2005. He was also chargesheeted for firing at Burda village.

“Earlier, he was arrested twice for Maoist activities. He was providing logistic support to the Maoists,” said superintendent of police Nikhil Kanodia.

Kanodia said Pradhan had bought 50 pairs of shoes from a shop at Maneswar. “He is a Maoist. He was on bail. He has confessed to his involvement and the confession has been videographed. We will produce the clipping before the court,” he said. Pradhan was forwarded to court on Monday.

Earlier, Sambalpur police had arrested Arta Bhoi, a Maoist, and seized ammunitions from him. The police have also intensified the anti-Maoist operation in the district.

However, Kanodia said Pradhan was not involved in the attack on the crusher unit of ARSS Construction Company at Munder. “He was not involved in the attack on the ARSS crusher unit at Munder,” Kanodia said.

Family members of Pradhan and some of the villagers of Mudtal, who were unaware of his arrest, staged a dharna in front of the residence of the superintendent of police. They had presented a letter to Kanodia and requested him to search for Pradhan.

“Ten people in police uniform forcibly took Pradhan with them. He was working on his field at that time,” said Arjun Mirdha, a villager.

“He was released from jail in 2009. He was working on the field on that morning. Some people in police uniform picked him up. We informed the matter in the local police station, but nobody listened to us,” said Dukhi Pradhan, wife of Pradhan.