Andhra professor, dentist held for Maoist links

Police in Andhra Pradesh Thursday arrested an associate professor of Andhra University and a dentist on charges of having links with Maoists.

J. Appa Rao, an associate professor in the university's Telugu department, was presented before the media Thursday evening in Visakhapatnam.

In Kakinada town, police arrested dentist Jagdish Reddy on the same charges.

Police said both of them were involved in supply of explosives to Maoists.

Visakhapatnam Superintendent of Police K. Praveen said the professor had links with Maoists.

Officials said the professor and the dentist were arrested following seizure of explosives in Narsipatnam in Visakhapatnam district.

The seized explosives include 300 kg ammonium nitrate, 500 electrical detonators and 100 non-electrical detonators.

Two people arrested in the case told police that the explosives were meant to be supplied to Maoists on the orders of Appa Rao and Reddy.

On the evidence provided by the two people, police arrested Appa Rao in Visakhapatnam and Reddy in Kakinada, a statement from the office of advisor (communications) to the Andhra Pradesh government said Thursday night.

It also claimed that Appa Rao was a childhood friend of Maoist B. Venkatramna alias Ganesh, member of the Andhra Pradesh Special Zonal Committee of the Communist Party of India-Maoist.

It said the professor had continued links with Venkatramna and Maoist leaders of East Visakha Divisional Committee.

Plainclothes policemen picked up Appa Rao from his house in the university staff quarters around 2 a.m. Thursday.

His wife later filed a police complaint that he was kidnapped by some unidentified people who came in a car.

Police later announced Appa Rao's arrest and said he would be presented before the media.

Condemning the professor's arrest, university students staged a protest in front of the police superintendent's office.

They raised slogans against police and demanded his immediate release.

Threatening to call an indefinite university shutdown, the students claimed the police had made false allegations against the professor.

Appa Rao is said to be a rights activist who used to actively participate in various movements for the protection of the rights of tribals.