Five held in Jharkhand for extorting money posing as Maoists

Five people, who posed as Maoists to extort money from local businessmen and other affluent people, have been arrested at Ghatshila sub-division in Jharkhand's East Singhbhum district, a senior police officer said.

Two of those arrested hail from Jhargram district in neighbouring West Bengal, Senior Superintendent of Police Anoop Birtharay said Wednesday.

"We had been receiving reports that a five-member gang was terrorizing people in the region. Accordingly, a special police team was constituted, under Sub-Divisional Police Officer Ranveer Singh, to carry out raids and apprehend the criminals," he told reporters.

All five of them have confessed to their crime during interrogation, Birtharay said.

Police have recovered five mobile phones and numerous sim cards used by them to make extortion calls in and around Ghatsila sub-division, he added.