Mohali (Punjab), May 5 (IANS) A 53-year-old Maoist leader who was recruiting youths to his organisation and was active in Punjab for five years has been arrested, police said here Thursday.

 
 Harbhinder Singh, a resident of Jalal village in Bathinda district, was caught from Kharar town of Mohali district late Tuesday, police said. He was travelling from Ludhiana to Chandigarh in a state roadways bus at that time.
 
 Two others with him were also arrested, but they turned out to be police informers and were released later.
 
 “Harbhinder is associated with the banned Communist party of India-Maoist. He was active in Punjab for the last five years and he was responsible for recruiting youths in his party and for propagating his party’s principles. He is a graduate and a very good orator,” Gurpreet Singh Bhullar, district police chief, told IANS.
 
 “Police have also recovered a point 32 bore pistol and banned literature from his possession. He has been booked under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act and the Arms Act. A court has sent him to police remand and his interrogation is on,” added Bhullar.
 
 Punjab police chief P.S. Gill has on various occasions said Maoists are trying to gather support in the region. A few days back, police had busted a gang that was allegedly supplying arms to Maoists.