The police have also recovered ₹ 1.5 lakh in cash from the arrested Maoist

Chatra: In a major success, security forces on Thursday arrested a senior leader of the CPI(Maoist), who was carrying a bounty of ₹ 15 lakh on his head and allegedly involved in the killing of 30 policemen, in Jharkhand's Chatra district, an official said.

Acting on a tip-off, personnel of the Chatra Police and the Central Reserve Police Force launched an operation in Barwadih forest of Simaria police station area and arrested Ramesh Ganjhu, Regional Committee of the Maoists of Magadha region.

He has been on the run for around 20 years, Jharkhand Police spokesperson, Inspector General of Police AV Homkar, told PTI.

Ganjhu alias Azad alias Ankit alias Harikesh was wanted in at least 45 criminal cases in Palamu, Latehar and Chatra districts of the state and Gaya and Aurangabad districts of Bihar.

The police have also recovered ₹ 1.5 lakh in cash from the arrested Maoist who is allegedly involved in the killing of more than 30 police personnel and many villagers in several attacks.

Mr Homkar said that the state police have declared a reward of ₹ 15 lakh on his head.

In 2014, Ganjhu also led an attack on rival outfit Tritiya Prastuti Committee and shot dead 16 of its members in Chhotki Kaurian village in Palamu, he said.