Ranchi, May 28 (IANS) Amrit Horo, a top commander of the banned People’s Liberation Front of India (PLFI) and wanted in multiple cases, has been arrested by Ranchi Police, officials said on Thursday.

The Jharkhand government had announced a reward of Rs 10 lakh on his head.

Police said Ranchi Senior Superintendent of Police Rakesh Ranjan had received specific intelligence that Amrit Horo would attend a wedding in Jamakel village along the Ranchi-Khunti border.

Acting on the input, a special team comprising the Quick Response Team (QRT) and other units conducted a late-night operation, cordoned off the area and apprehended him.

Horo, a native of the same village, had been shifting his hideouts for a long time to evade arrest and remained active in the border areas of Ranchi and Khunti, officials said.

He has been taken to a secure location and is being interrogated to gather details about his network, associates and the organisation’s activities. Khunti Police will also interrogate him.

He is accused in several serious cases across Ranchi, Khunti, and nearby districts of Jharkhand, including extortion, levy collection from construction sites and railway projects, arson, firing and encounters with security forces.

Police records show that he had been active in extremist activities for several years and was considered a top commander of the outfit.

About one-and-a-half years ago, security forces had an encounter with Horo, but he managed to escape then by taking advantage of the forested and hilly terrain.

Amrit Horo became the new chief of the PLFI last year after the outfit’s supremo, Martin Kerketta, was killed in the Kamdara area of Gumla district. Since then, he had been directing the outfit’s activities. Police had been searching for him for a long time.

Police said his arrest is expected to significantly impact the PLFI’s network and financial operations.

Police are interrogating him to identify other active members of his network and trace arms hideouts.

–IANS

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