In a massive crackdown on ‘Urban Naxals’, Pune Police has conducted raids at least 8 locations in 5 states across the country in connection with alleged Maoist links to a plot to assassinate Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the violence at Bhima Koregaon.
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Shivaji Bodkhe, Joint Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) Pune, confirmed the development and said, “Simultaneous searches are being conducted at several locations across Hyderabad, Delhi, Haryana, Mumbai, and Ranchi in connection with Elgar Parishad.”
As per reports, searches were conducted in the residential premises of ‘human rights activist’ and ‘journalist’ Gautam Navlakha in Delhi, ‘writer’ and ‘activist’ P Varavara Rao in Hyderabad, ‘activists Vernon Gonzalves and Arun Pereira in Mumbai, ‘civil rights’ lawyer Sudha Bhardwaj in Delhi, civil rights ‘activist’ Anand Teltumbde in Goa and ‘activist’ Stan Swamy in Ranchi.
Republic TV has also reported that Gautam Navlakha has been arrested under the UAPA Act. Vara Vara Rao has also been arrested by the Police. The Police confirmed that the raids were likely to continue throughout the day. They are likely to be produced at a local court first for a transit remand to Pune. Police also stated that investigations have revealed that banned Maoist groups were involved in financing and organizing the Elgaar Parishad event.
We had reported earlier that a letter unearthed by Pune Police in June had revealed Maoist plans to assassinate PM Modi. The letter had also mentioned an alleged nexus between Maoists, the Congress, Gujarat Vadgam MLA Jignesh Mevani.
The major success against Left-wing terrorism has been one of the crowning feathers of Narendra Modi’s term as Prime Minister and Home Minister Rajnath Singh’s achievements. The coordinated efforts towards curbing Maoist terror has started bearing fruits.