Varanasi: After nearly 12 years on the run, a criminal carrying a Rs 50,000 reward and allegedly linked to Naxal activities was arrested by the Varanasi Field Unit of the Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force from Assam on Thursday.Rajkumar Verma alias Pradeep Verma was arrested from Kamrup in Guwahati, where he had allegedly been hiding. Police said Verma came in contact with Sitaram alias Dhanu, a resident of Mudiyari under Maniyar police station in Ballia, who was linked to the banned CPI (Maoist) organisation, and allegedly became involved in Naxal-related activities.In 2012, members of the organisation allegedly suspected village head Musafir Chauhan of being a police informer. When they failed to find him at home, they allegedly killed his wife, Phoolmati, to spread terror.Verma was wanted in a case registered at Sahatwar police station in Ballia district under relevant sections of the IPC, Criminal Law Amendment Act and Arms Act.According to the police, Verma is originally a resident of Sahraspali under Kotwali police station in Ballia. He was currently living near Nala Pada, Kali Mandir Road, in Guwahati. The UP STF had been receiving inputs that absconding and reward-declared criminals were hiding in different states and continuing criminal activities. Acting on the inputs, STF teams were assigned to take action. Under the supervision of DSP Shailesh Pratap Singh, STF Varanasi, inspector Amit Srivastava and his team were working on the case.During questioning, police found that Verma allegedly had a long criminal history. In 2007, he and others allegedly assaulted the family of Madhav Thakur of his village over a shop-related dispute. A case was registered at Ballia Kotwali police station.In 2008, he and his family members allegedly opened fire on Jayant Thakur of his village due to personal enmity. Jayant survived the attack. The same year, Verma was also accused in the murder of Sohan Singh from the same village. Legal proceedings are underway to obtain transit remand from a Kamrup court and bring Verma to Uttar Pradesh.
