Maha cops conduct searches on offices of bodies for suspected naxal links

The Maharashtra Police today conducted searches at the offices and residences of supporters of organisations such as Kabir Kala Manch and Republican Panther on suspicion of their alleged connection with Naxal activities in urban areas, an official said.

Various teams, headed by the Pune Police, carried out the searches since the morning in different parts of the state, including Pune, Mumbai, Nagpur and Gadchiroli.

The police questioned some supporters and Dalit activists of organisations such as Kabir Kala Manch and Republican Panther in connection with their alleged links with Naxal activities during the searches, an official said.

The teams, working on some inputs, were examining laptops, hard disks, mobile phones etc. of the activists to ascertain the communication mode, he added.

In Nagpur, a Pune Police team, searched the residence of a lawyer in connection with his "provocative speeches" at an event organised to mark the 200th anniversary of the Bhima-Koregaon battle which was marred by incidents of violence in January, officials said.

The programme, "Elgar Parishad", was organised at Shaniwar Wada in Pune on December 31 last year to commemorate the battle in which the British Army, comprising several Dalits, had defeated the Peshwas.

Police officials said the Bhim Nagar residence of advocate Surendra Gadling was searched between 6:30 am and 1 pm in connection with an FIR registered in Pune.

Gadling had earlier extended legal help to a number of leaders suspected to be involved in Naxal activities, including suspended Delhi University professor GN Saibaba who was sentenced to life in prison on March 7 last year for alleged Maoist links and anti-India activities.

Meanwhile, sources in the state government said the searches conducted today were part of the action against Naxal activities in urban areas.

"Central agencies have conducted the searches not only in Maharashtra but also in Delhi. Not just Elgar Parishad, nationwide raids have been conducted on people and institutions suspected to be associated with Naxal activities in urban areas," they said.

Talking to reporters, Gadling alleged that the men in uniform were troubling people like him and allowing the perpetrators of the Bhima-Koregaon violence to go scot-free.

"I did not participate in the Bhima-Koregaon event. However, we had collected funds for it like we do for any such programme. These raids are meant to silence people who have stood up to the RSS," he alleged.

He claimed that the search party took away research material he had collected over a period of 25 years.

"They even took away exam notes of my son and daughter. Pen-drives, hard drives and such items belonging to my wife were also confiscated," he alleged.