LUCKNOW, Dec. 16 -- The Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terrorist Squad (UP ATS) on Monday arrested an absconding leader of the banned CPI (Maoist) outfit from Varanasi, marking a major breakthrough in the fight against left-wing extremism, confirmed senior police officials in a press note shared with media on Monday. The officials said the arrested accused has been identified as Sitaram alias Vinay Ji alias Om Prakash alias Dhanu, a native of Mudiyari village under the Maniyar police station in Ballia district. He was apprehended from Kashi Railway Station following intelligence inputs and surveillance operations. Sitaram had been absconding for nearly 13 years and was a rewarded criminal wanted in serious cases. ATS officials stated that Sitaram played a key role in the 2012 murder of Phoolmati, the wife of a village head in Atardariya village, under the Sehatwar police station, in Ballia. Following the incident, a case was registered under multiple sections of the IPC, Arms Act and Criminal Law Amendment Act, and a reward of Rs 50,000 was announced for Sitaram's arrest by the DIG, Azamgarh Range. In another major development, on August 15, 2023, Sitaram was holding a meeting with his associates when ATS arrested several key Maoist operatives. While his associates were taken into custody along with extremist literature and weapons, Sitaram managed to flee at that time. The case, registered at ATS Police Station, Lucknow under UAPA and IPC sections, is currently being investigated by the National Investigation Agency (NIA)....