Eight Naxalites, including a boy, have been held in connection with last month's Aranpur blast in Chhattisgarh's Dantewada district wherein 10 police personnel and a civilian lost their lives, police said on Saturday.
With this development, the total number of Naxalites held in the case increased to 17, they said.
Of these eight Naxalites, five were arrested on Wednesday (May 17), while three others, including the minor boy, were held on Friday during search operations by security personnel in Aranpur police station area and adjoining locality, a senior police official said.
Police gave information about it on Friday evening. Masa Kawasi, Kosa Mandavi, Arjun Kunjam, Deva Madvi and Ganga Madvi, all natives of Pedka village, were produced in a local court after their arrest on Wednesday, which sent them to police remand for three days, he added.
After the expiry of their police remand, the five Naxalites were produced in the court along with two others Bandi Madvi and Muya Kovasi following their arrest on Friday, the officer said, adding that all seven were remanded to judicial custody.
The minor was sent to a juvenile home, he added. Ten District Reserve Guard (DRG) personnel and a driver were killed after Naxalites blew up an multi-utility vehicle (MUV), which was part of a convoy of vehicles carrying security personnel in Chhattisgarh's Dantewada district on April 26.
Earlier, nine Naxalites, including three minors, were apprehended in connection with the attack and their interrogation helped police for further arrests, he added.