Chief minister, Mr Raman Singh, on Monday said at least four diamond belts are under the Maoist controlled region of Bastar in Chhattisgarh.
Bastar division, which comprises Maoist-infested districts of Dantewada, Kanker, Bijapur, Narayanpur and Bastar, has been identified as possible rich source of diamond reserve, Mr Singh told the state Assembly here.
The chief minister said Chhota Dangar belt in Bastar, Narayanpur and Bijapur districts has been listed among total eight possible diamond reserves in the state.
The others are Tokapal belt in Bastar, Dantewada and Bijapur districts. Narayanpur- Lanjore belt in Kanker, Bastar and Narayanpur districts, Kanker- Keshkal belt in Kanker, Durg, Dharmtari and Bastar districts, Berhadih belt in Raipur district, Pithore in Mahasa-mund and Raipur districts, Sarangarh belt in Raigarh, Janjgir, Mahasamund and Raipur districts and Eib-Maini belt in Jashpur, Raigarh and Sarguja districts. Meanwhile, at least eight hardcore Maoists were on Monday arrested in Chhattisgarh’s Dantewada district, the police said.
The alleged ultras were arrested following separate raids by security personnel in their hideouts at Barsur and Mardum, a senior district police officer said.
Four of them were found to be Dantewada jail break accused of 2007.
At least 300 inmates, majority of who were suspected Maoists, of Dantewada jail had escaped after a daring jail break in December 2007. Half-a-dozen INSAS rifles, explosives, detonators and batteries were seized from them, the police said.