'Naxal couple' held under UAPA in Hyderabad

Police on Tuesday arrested a husband-wife duo under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and Indian Penal Code here for allegedly taking part in the activities of the banned CPI (Maoist).

N Ravi Sharma, Professional Revolutionary of CPI (Maoist) Party and his wife Anuradha, both in their mid-50s, were arrested for being connected with Maoist activities in Telanganasince June 2019, police said.

A special police team searched their house at LB Nagar here and found Maoist literature and three laptops, pen drives and memory cards and correspondence with the banned CPI (Maoist).

The two, out on bail, were involved in several unlawful activities, Rachakonda Police Commissioner Mahesh M Bhagwat said.

A case was registered against them under relevant IPC sections and Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and Telangana State Public Security Act, 2012.

Sharma earlier worked in different posts in the people's war group (PWG).

He was arrested in Hazaribagh district of Jharkhand in October 2009 and released on bail in April 2016, police said.

After his release from jail, he came to Hyderabad and had been residing at a house here along with his wife, a former CPI (Maoist) state committee member.

He was actively involved in the formation of 'All India Forum against Hindutwa Fascist Offensive' in February 2019 at Delhi, Bhagwat said.

According to police, Sharma was frequently going underground for long periods and taking part in meetings of top Maoists in Chhattisgarh and other parts of the country.