Dalit activist, lawyer, professor among 5 arrested in connection with Bhima-Koregaon violence

The Pune Police today arrested five people allegedly having close Maoist links, including prominent Dalit activist Sudhir Dhawale, from Mumbai, Nagpur and Delhi in connection with the Bhima Koregaon violence on January 1.

According to Joint Commissioner of Pune Police Ravindra Kadam, Dhawale was arrested from his house in Mumbai, lawyer Surendra Gadling, activist Mahesh Raut and Shoma Sen were picked up from Nagpur and Rona Wilson was arrested from his flat in Munirka in Delhi in simultaneous raids this morning.

Dhawale was one of the organisers of Elgar Parishad, organised to commemorate 200 years of the Koregaon Bhima battle on December 31 at Shaniwarwada.

There Kabir Kala Manch (KKM) activists had allegedly made provocative speeches leading to violence at Koregaon Bhima in the district, according to an FIR registered at Vishrambaug police station after the event.

Sudhir Dhawale is a Dalit activist and editor of Marathi magazine Vidrohi while Surendra Gadling, a Nagpur based lawyer, also known as a Dalit and tribal activist, provides legal aids to those who arrested for Maoist links, police said.

Shoma Sen is a professor at Nagpur University and her husband Tushar Kranti Bhattacharya was arrested from Nagpur station for his alleged Naxal links in 2010.

Mahesh Raut is a former Prime Minister Rural Development fellow and said to have close Maoist links. Rona Wilson, 47, a native of Kerala, is currently based in Delhi and associated with for Committee for Release of Political Prisoners.

"While investigating the case registered at Vishrambaug police station, we conducted some searches at various places in the state. During the searches we found some evidence which was indicating that all those arrested had links with the Maoists," said Kadam.

He clarified that today's action was not against any Dalit person or Dalit organisations. "This action basically is a result of a Maoist link, which was established during the investigation. We are investigating whether this Maoist link has any direct connection with the Bhima Koregaon violence," Kadam told PTI.

He added that the case in which all these people were arrested was registered against the organisers of Elgar Parishad and Kabir Kala Manch members whom he referred as "Maoist activists".

He said that some of arrested activists are the "top brass of the Urban Maoists".

Asked if the Koregaon Bhima violence was a Maoist plot, he said, "All five have close Maoist links and prima facie, their involvement is being seen in the matter. It is to be investigated whether they instigated the violence."