23L Recovered In Joint Operation By State ATS, AP Cops
Mateen Hafeez | TNN
Four alleged Naxalites, including two women, were arrested in a joint operation by the state anti-terrorism squad (ATS) and Andhra Pradesh police in Thane district on Friday. The ATS recovered Rs23 lakh, a laptop, three pen drives and firearm-making material from the sleeper cell.
ATS chief Rakesh Maria said the operation followed information about Naxals being holed up in Dombivli (E). “Our staff and the AP police caught the Naxals, including Dinesh Wankhede alias Raju Kadam (29), Aseem Kumar Bhattacharya (65), Suman Gawde (25) and Laxmi Raju Patel (38),” said Maria. He added that while Kadam, Bhattacharya and Gawde are from Gadchiroli, Patel is from Adilabad in Andhra Pradesh.
Bhattacharya’s wife Shobha said she was shocked to hear about the arrest. The alleged Naxals were staying on the ground floor of the New Surya Kiran Apartments, where the monthly rent is Rs15,000-25,000. Residents said the ‘Naxals’ were aloof and posed as husband, wife and mother.
“Kadam is a member of Korchi Dalam and the Korchi area committee. He is wanted in two cases: A 2007 firing case in which a policeman was injured in Gadchiroli and a 2005 Nagpur police case. Kadam was never arrested in both cases, but he faces cases for attempt to murder under the Arms Act,” said Maria.
The ATS said Gawde was also a Korchi Dalam member and would attend its meetings. Patel joined the Korchi Dalam a few years ago and is a known name among Naxalites, the police said.
“The Naxals had been staying in the rented room since October 2011. We received info that the room was used as a hideout for Naxals. Technical committee members would also visit it. The primary job of the members staying here was procurement of equipment for cadres working in forests,” Maria added.
The ATS chief said the Naxals who would get injured or fall sick in Gadchiroli would be taken to Dombivli, where they would be treated.
An officer said, “The Naxals are trying to identify youth who could be helpful with indoctrination. We are collecting info about the groups and trying to cripple their activities.”
THE SUSPECTS
The four are said to be members of the Gadchirolibased Kolchidalam Naxal organization:
Dinesh Wankhede alias Raju Kadam (29) The Gadchiroli resident stayed at Surya Kiran building along with three others in Dombivli, Thane. A member of the Korchi Dalam and Korchi area committee, he faces charges in a 2007 firing case in which a policeman was injured in Gadchiroli and a 2005 Nagpur police case
Aseem Kumar Bhattacharya (65)
Also from Gadchiroli, he has been termed a senior functionary and part of the think-tank
Suman Gawde (25) A member of the Korchi Dalam, this Gadchiroli resident would attend Dalam meetings
Laxmi Raju Patel (38) A resident of Andhra Pradesh, he joined the Korchi Dalam a few years ago and is a known name among Naxalites
National poet’s elder brother among arrested
Pradeep Gupta | TNN
Mumbai: The four arrested Naxalites include 64-year-old Aseem Kumar Bhattacharya, the elder brother of former journalist-turned-national poet, Alok Bhattacharya, who was honored by the President of India for his poetry.
The other three Naxals, Dinesh Wankhede (29), Suman Gawde (25) and Laxmi Raju Patel alias Paru Patel (38), were living under false names in the building, identifying themselves as the Kadam family. Dinesh had introduced himself as Raju Kadam, while the other two had introduced themselves as his wife and mother.
The three lived in a ground floor flat of Surya Kiran Apartment in Gandhi Nagar, Dombivli (E).
When TOI visited the Bhattacharya residence, his wife Shobha Bhattacharya said she was shocked to hear about her husband’s arrest. She was suspecting that her husband was kidnapped and she had in fact filed a complaint with the Manpada police station on Thursday. “It is shocking why the anti-terrorism squad (ATS) arrested my husband as he is above 60 and was never involved in Naxal activities,” Shobha told TOI.
She said, “We have been living in Dombivli for 32 years and he has never been outside.”
“I have three children, including two daughters and a son, and except for one daughter who has got married, the other two are doing professional courses,” Shobha added.
Shobha admitted that her husband had gone to Andhra Pradesh once, 25 years back, to attend a marriage. She said eventhough her husband had crossed 60, he always helped people. She also said she was unaware about the other three suspects who were nabbed by the ATS hardly 100 metres from her residence.
B E Murkute, the flat owner, told TOI he was shocked to learn about their real names. Murkute said a local agent had introduced him through Bhattacharaya, who had said the three were his staff. Murkute had also approached the local police to file a kidnapping case. Sources claimed that ATS operation was secret and even the local police were not informed. Residents of New Surya Kiran Apartments were also shocked to hear that the three were ‘Naxals’. “They would always remain aloof,” a neighbour said. “They came five months ago and were like husband, wife and mother,” said an elderly resident of the building.
The alleged Naxals stayed on the ground floor of the New Surya Kiran Apartments in Dombivli
No comments:
Post a Comment