Chikkamagaluru, 11 Jan

Karnataka police have seized arms and ammunition from a forest area near here, suspectedly left by Maoists, who surrendered recently, a police officer said on Saturday.

Speaking to reporters, Chikkamagaluru Superintendent of Police (SP) Vikram Amathe however maintained that whether the arms and ammunition were left by surrendered Maoists, is a matter of investigation.

A group of six Maoists surrendered to the government in the presence of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah at his home office 'Krishna' in Bengaluru on Wednesday evening.

The Surrendered Maoists include Mundagaru Latha from Sringeri, Vanajakshi Balehole from Kalasa, Sundari Kutluru from Dakshina Kannada, Mareppa Aroli from Raichur in Karnataka. The other two are Vasanth K from Vellore in Tamil Nadu, and N Jeesha from Wayanad in Kerala.

"Late last night a case was registered at Jayapura police station under section 3,7,25(1B) and 25(1A) of the Arms Act of 1959. Based on the information received by the Police Sub-Inspector. He and his team had gone to the mentioned spot and conducted searches, and found arms and ammunition," SP Vikram Amathe said.

He also said, arms and ammunitions seized in forest area in Kittaleguli in Koppa taluk include one AK-56 rifle, three .303 weapons, one 12 bore SBBL gun, one country made pistol, and related 176 ammunations.

CPI Koppa will investigate the case, the SP said, adding that further investigations will follow to ascertain things.

Asked whether the arms and ammunition found belonged to surrendered Maoists, he said, it is a matter of investigation, they were found based on the information received. "Only after investigation, we can definitely say."

To a question that some arms were bearing symbols to show they belonged to Maoists, he said, it is a matter of investigation, we are gathering information about those symbols, and only after investigation anything can be said.

Asked as to when the Maoists will be taken to police custody, Amathe said, there are several cases against them, legal process is on, after which they will be taken into police custody.

Following the surrender, the Maoists were produced before the Special NIA Court in Bengaluru, which had remanded them to judicial custody for 14 days. They are currently lodged at the Parappana Agrahara Central Prison Complex in Bengaluru.

Siddaramaiah on Friday said authorities knew where the weapons of the surrendered Maoists, are kept, and they would be recovered following due process.

Earlier on Friday, Home Minister G Parameshwara said that surrendered Maoists have not handed over their weapons, and the police are working to locate and recover them from the forest where they are believed to have been disposed of.