New Delhi, Apr 15 (IANS): The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Thursday said that it has filed second supplementary charge sheet against 18 accused, most of them members of the banned CPI-Maoist in the case of killing of five police personnel in Jharkhand in June 2019.

An NIA spokesperson here said that the agency has named Sunil Tudu, Budhram Mardi aka Budhuram Mardi, Shriram Manjhi, Naresh Lohar aka Ramu Lohar, Alamgir Ansari, Lakhan Sardar, Joshep Purty aka Tipu, Annem Hassa Purti aka Anem Hassa Purty, Tabarak Ansari, Mangal Topno aka Lalu Sardar, Soyna Singh Sardar, Jitrai Munda, Boyda Pahan, Rakesh Munda, Naina, Maharaj Pramanik, Amit Munda and Anal Da, all residents of Jharkhand, under several sections of the IPC, Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, Arms Act and the Explosive Substances Act.

The case pertains to deadly attack on the police patrolling party by Maoists at Kukru Haat in Saraikela-Kharswan district on June 14, 2019. The rebels also looted arms and ammunition of the killed policemen.

A case was registered by Jharkhand Police and it had filed a charge sheet against 11 accused. The NIA took over the probe December on 9, 2020.

The NIA official said that investigation has revealed that Anal Da, the Central Committee Member and Secretary of Bihar Jharkhand Special Area Committee CPI-Maoist, in collusion with other leaders, had conspired and planned the attack.

"The recce of the place of incident was carried for around a month and final planning for execution was done at Arhanja forest on June 13. Maoists had planned minute details and had carried out extensive rehearsals for the attack," the official said.

"Investigation also established that the plan was executed under the leadership of Maharaj Pramanik, Zonal Commander of Bundu Chandil Sub Zone, who had also enlisted the help of over ground workers and sympathisers of CPI-Maoist," the official said.

The attack was carried out in order to loot the arms and ammunition, further strengthen their organisation and also as a retaliation for the killing of one of their cadres, Pradeep Swasi, by the security forces in that area, he added.