Rourkela, June 2: The operations of the People’s Liberation Front of India (PLFI) was busted by police here and in Sundergarh.

Rourkela police arrested Arjun Thakur, 50, a history sheeter, and two of his associates — Guddu alias Jayaram Prasad and Jaggu alias Bijay. The police said the trio were involved in an accident on Jhirpani bridge.

On May 20, the trio had demanded Rs 2 crores from Rajalaxmi Construction, a firm that has been entrusted with the responsibility of constructing the Jhirpani bridge. They demanded the money in the name of the PLFI and left some posters written in red ink to mislead the administration and create panic.

However, some senior police officers were sure that the PLFI was basically an organisation of extortionists and not of Maoists, which they try to establish to mislead people. “We arrested Thakur and his associates late last night and are investigating the case,” said Himansu Lal, superintendent of police, Rourkela.

A case was subsequently filed in Jhirpani police station.

The police have recovered one country-made revolver, one live cartridge and one motorcycle from them.

Thakur has some 19 cases in his name in different police stations in Rourkela in relation to crimes such as illegal possession of arms and attempt to murder.

In a separate incident, Sundergarh police have arrested the mastermind and head of PLFI’s Odisha chapter, Dhananjaya Bhuyan, from Kuanrmunda.

Bhuyan has been appointed as the head of operations of the PLFI