Naxal leaders regrouping in Nagpur
Sunday, June 24, 2007
NAGPUR: After some turbulence caused by the arrest of four naxals near Deekshabhoomi on May 8, Maoist leaders and front organisations in the region are reportedly re-grouping in Nagpur. Sources told TOI that after Nagpur police arrested Arun Ferriera, Mahesh alias Murli alias Ashok Satya Reddy, Dhanendra Burle and Naresh Bansod, there were some waves of protest.
However, only Ferriera's arrest created a significant impact. "Front organisations and sympathisers projected Ferriera as an activist and not a Maoist. Ferriera's Mumbai-based wife Jennifer was instrumental in this and she even went to national media to prove his reported innocence,'' said the source.
Meanwhile, a naxal-backed 'fact-finding committee' was also formed in yet another effort to prove the 'innocence' of Ferriera and others. Now, Nagpur police have reportedly learnt that top leaders of Maoists, their sympathisers and other front organisations have started regrouping in Nagpur. "Their so-called fact-finding committee has become active in recent times. They are holding meetings, preparing documents and gathering support to keep the issue on the boil. They want to exonerate Ferriera at all costs,'' said the source.
Another issue cropping up often in the meetings is the 'failure' of the Nagpur police to find clinching evidence in the narco test of Ferriera and Murli. "This so-called failure of Nagpur police is being highlighted repeatedly in the meetings reportedly to form a negative sentiment,'' the source added.
Meanwhile, there was reportedly a large presence of naxal sympathisers at the hearing of the four arrested naxals here on Thursday. "They were also trying to contact the media and may have intended to influence them,'' the source said.
timesnagpur@timesgroup.com
Labels: Maharashtra
posted by Resistance 6/24/2007 09:17:00 AM,
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Maoists trying to instigate police cadre to revolt
Monday, June 11, 2007
Nagpur, UNI:
This is probably the first time that the Maoists are directly trying to provoke the sentiments of the police and para-military forces, and marks a major shift from their policy of directing such efforts towards the general public.
Faced with a shortage of cadre and difficulty in making new recruitments, Naxalite organisations have focussed their attention on the police force itself and are making an attempt to instigate revolt among the men in uniform.
Pamphlets calling upon the men in the police department and para-military forces to take up arms against the very system for which they work have been found in parts of the Naxalite-infested areas in Vidarbha region of Maharashtra.
This is probably the first time that the Maoists are directly trying to provoke the sentiments of the police and para-military forces, and marks a major shift from their policy of directing such efforts towards the general public.
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The outlaws normally treat the law enforcement agencies as their prime enemy and make them a target of their violent activities.
Officials say the focus on the police force could be a strategy being adopted by the outlaws in view of dwindling cadre and poor response to recruitment drives.
The pamphlets, purportedly distributed by the Communist Party of India (Maoist), said the present situation of the police was no different than it was during the British rule, when a force consisting of Indian recruits was used to suppress the voice of their own countrymen.
The present rulers, it was alleged, were using the force to inhumanly stifle the voice of legitimate protests in all parts of the country. This had earned for the police nothing but the wrath and hatred of the commonpeople, the pamphlets said.
The police had to compromise with their conscience to use arms against their own brethren, and were also living a life full of tension and uncertainty, with no guarantee of their jobs, the pamphlets alleged.
Asserting that the party had full sympathy for the men in uniform, the pamphlets called upon them to take up arms against the system that exploited them and had ''made their lives miserable and filled it with depression, tension and problems.''
On a sentimental note, the pamphlets said the policemen were like the farmers and workers of the country, except that they wore uniforms provided by the government.
''Capitalist and imperialist powers had shaken their roots whenever soldiers fought against an unjust system together with labourers and farmers. History is abound with such instances,'' the pamphlets said, adding that the struggle to create a new social system would be ''incomplete without the participation of the police.''
Commenting on the content of the pamphlets, Special Inspector General of Police for Anti-Naxalite Operation (ANO) Pankaj Gupta told UNI that this was clearly an attempt by Maoists to divide the society and to create rift in it.
''For the naxalites, the police are enemy number one. They are,therefore, trying to instigate and divide the policemen,'' he said. The ranks of the naxalite cadre had decreased drastically because of the strict action by the law-enforcement agencies, Mr Gupta said.
In addition, the naxalite outfits were getting poor response to their own recruitment drives, and were finding it difficult to maintain the numbers of their cadre, he said. ''It appears that the Maoists have, therefore, adopted a policy of targeting the police themselves and decrease their morale. They seem to have adopted a ploy to influence the police adversely,'' he said.
The pamphlets appeared to have been issued by Maoist organisations since the issues raised in the content and the language used are similar to that of the outlaws, Mr Gupta said. However, the pamphlets were on plain paper and not on any 'stationery' or letterhead of any naxalite organisation, he pointed out.
Late last year, the police had found pamphlets purportedly distributed by the CPI (Maoist) in the district calling upon dalits to take to arms to fight against injustice. The pamphlets said armed struggle was the only way to stop the injustice against the dalits.
Mr Gupta said at the time that naxalites were trying to incite the passions of the dalit youths against 'injustice' and provoke them to take to arms. This could be a deliberate ploy to attract the youth to the illegal activity since naxal organisations had been finding it difficult to make fresh recruitments into the cadre, he said.
Shortly before that, the police had found a handwritten note in Gondi language in the pocket of a naxalite killed in an encounter in Gadchiroli district, calling for road blockades against the killing of four members of a dalit family by villagers in Khairlanji in Bhandara district of the region.
The note also mentioned that information of the Khairlanji incident had been 'sent to headquarters'. The note was found from the pocket of the naxalite identified as Chamru Gota, who was among the three naxalites killed in an encounter on December 22 last year.
Labels: Maharashtra, NEWS
posted by Resistance 6/11/2007 09:54:00 AM,
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Maharashtra: Maoists eyeing the dabbawalas?
Friday, June 8, 2007
The pen drive seized from alleged Naxalite Arun Ferreira contained information about the operational details of the city's dabbawalas, top officials of the anti-Naxalite unit of Maharashtra Police told DNA Wednesday.
Ferreira had been arrested from Nagpur on May 8, along with Murali alias Ashok Reddy, a Naxalite divisional commander. The dabbawalas have strongly reacted to their trade having anything to do with police and security affairs. Raghunath Dhondiba Medage, president of dabbawalas' association, said, "Ours is a clean and totally transparent system. We don't tolerate anything even remotely suspicious."
Anti-Naxalite unit officials have communicated the development to higher-ups in the Home department.
What intrigued the police and security officials was the "interest" of the Naxalite-Maoist cadre in the functioning of dabbawalas — a network which has access to almost every home in the city and suburbs.
"Ferreira's pen drive contained information about how dabbawalas operated flawlessly within a systemic framework. The information is exhaustive and also lists how the system runs and makes profits," said Pankaj Gupta, Special Inspector General of the anti-Naxalite unit.
Police claimed that Ferreira, a Bandra resident, was an active Maharashtra state committee member of the Communist Part of India (Maoist) and had considerable influence among the ultra-Left in the state. Other information contained in the pen -drive also revealed "his clear involvement" in the Naxalite-Maoist scheme of things, sources said.
"Information about this particular network (dabbawala) is a worrying development," said Nagpur Police Commissioner SPS Yadav.
"Perhaps, the Naxalites were planning to infiltrate the dabbawala network and use it to their own advantage," said a senior Intelligence official on condition of anonimity.
DNALabels: Maharashtra, NEWS
posted by Resistance 6/08/2007 08:38:00 AM,
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Maharashtra: Need to check growing naxal activities: SP
NAGPUR: Highlighting the threat perception arising out of growing naxal activities in Maharashtra, city police chief SPS Yadav drew the state government's attention to address this burning issue at the state-level crime conference held in Mumbai recently.
Underlining the need for strengthening the intelligence machinery, Yadav emphasised on the need of statewise check on naxal activities.
Recently, Nagpur police arrested four Maoists - Mahesh alias Murali alias Ashok Satya Reddy, Arun Thomas Ferreira, Naresh Bansod and Dhanendra Bhurle and seized substantial incriminating material from them. After guiding the operation, Yadav informed that the vital information collected from the arrested Maoists as regards their activities in the state would be handed over to the state and central intelligence agencies.
Yadav said that the activities of the Maoist frontal organisations may have serious ramifications in future. "I spoke about the frontal organisations activities in the state and the danger they pose to the country," said Yadav. The city police chief shared vital documents about the activities of Maoists retrieved during the seizures at the state level conference.
Apart from 396 cases of house breaking, about 78 robberies have taken place in the city so far till May.
"City police is open to issuing arms licence to the local sarafa traders," said Yadav. "The sarafa traders can keep their private guards and we would also intensify our vigil," he added.
The Times of India
Labels: Maharashtra, NEWS
posted by Resistance 6/08/2007 08:37:00 AM,
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2 cops, 4 naxals hurt in encounter
Monday, June 4, 2007
CHANDRAPUR: A naxal attack on Border Road Organisation's base camp Komaka-Gattajamiya road in Ettapalli tehsil of Gadchiroli district was repelled by the State Reserve Police Force (SRPF) on Saturday evening.
Around 70 rebels attacked the base. As the security personnel intercepted them, four naxalites are said to be injured in the cross fire. Two cops have been wounded too. The naxals reportedly hurled some explosive devices at the base camp, which appeared to be detonators.
A 1500 feet long, six-coloured wire has also been discovered from the spot, say police sources.
The injured policemen, Chandrakant Chaurate and Vishweshwar Pishe, have been admitted in a hospital at Gadchiroli and are likely to be shifted to Nagpur. Though not confirmed, but blood stains on the spot indicate that least four naxalites must have sustained injuries, said sources.
BRO which is building roads and bridges in the naxal hit region, have always been a target of attacks. A year ago, one of its engineers was brutally killed by the naxalite. There have been instances of workers being beaten up and threatened to spot work.
The Times of India
Labels: Maharashtra, NEWS
posted by Resistance 6/04/2007 10:50:00 AM,
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The rape of Freedom of Opinion!
Thursday, May 31, 2007
source: Another wold is possible
As in the case of "Naxalite" Arun Ferreira, if the government considers files in your computer as evidence of terrorist links, most of us will be in jail!
The fear of Reds crawling under your bed is making the police in India do strange things. People are being picked up and interrogated on the basis of the files in their computers and pen drives. And if the pen drive contains files about SEZs, land grabbing, atrocities against dalits and communal riots, you are in big trouble. Not only will you be taken to the police station, given a dose of truth serum and questioned in isolation, the police will also threaten to lock up anyone who dares to speak in your support. We don't know if Arun Ferreira from Bandra is a member of CPI(Maoist) or not, or if he has been involved in any violent act, but the police have already passed a judgement : He is a seditionist - a Naxalite threatening the Indian state. Part of the "evidence" is in his pen drive which has some files on "sensitive issues". They haven't produced any evidence of his involvement in any violent activity, but Ferreira is guilty because the police suspect he is guilty.
This is not funny. It's scary. If people can be put behind bars for what they have saved in their computers, half the journalists, academics, social activists, NGO workers and writers in this country should be in the police station waiting for their turn to be jabbed with sodium pentothal and talk in a daze about the "seditionist material" in their computers. And then they would throw you into a dingy cell where petty thieves, rapists and professional killers kick you day and night for being "anti national".
The police keep picking people merely on suspicion, trying to build cases on the basis of emails, phone calls, SIM cards, blogs and pen drives. The cases keep falling flat in the court while real terrorists walk in and out of the country at will, blowing up common Indians on trains and buses, at mosques and in temples, in cinema halls and offices. The real perpetrators of these crimes almost never get caught, tried or convicted.
Catching people for carrying "sensitive information" can't be a way of tackling national security issues. It has something to do with opinion. It has something to do with political opposition. It is all about trampling on liberties and stifling dissent. Governments around the world - from the US to China to Sudan to Colombia - have been itching to launch a war of terror on those who oppose them. and thousands of people with political opinions have been "fixed" through this "war on terror".
In this season of suspicion, I check my personal computer at home. There are hundreds of reports on human rights violations in India, police atrocities, dalit organizations, Naxalite groups and Nandigram, all downloaded from the net. I don't think it's safe anymore to save those files on the computer or a pen drive. It's better to keep all this in your mind. They don't have a machine with which they can read your mind. Not yet.
Labels: Maharashtra, NEWS
posted by Resistance 5/31/2007 09:40:00 AM,
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Narco tests on alleged Naxal turns out to be flop
Tuesday, May 29, 2007
The narco-analysis tests carried out on alleged Naxalite Arun Ferreira, a Bandra resident who was arrested along with three others in Nagpur on May 8, at Kalina Forensic Science Laboratory have failed to yield effective results. This, even as the senior Naxalite cadre contradicted himself occasionally, said the police.
The police alleged that the tests did not throw up "clinching" results as no police officer was allowed in during the interrogation — something that marred the prospects of an "interactive exchange" between the police and the suspect.
According to sources, the police had prepared a pointed set of questions to be hurled at Ferreira during the narco-analysis tests. The question set was designed to make him admit or deny his recent involvement in the overall Naxalite-Maoist scheme of things across central India.
"But although Ferreira was found to glaringly contradict himself on a couple of occasions, there was no immediate reactive response (in terms of artfully framed questions) from the investigating officers (making the suspect speak his mind out) geared to elicit real information out of him," said a senior anti-Naxalite unit officer who spoke to DNA on conditions of anonymity.
"We approached the director of the forensic science laboratory on the matter but the authorities chose to perform brain-mapping and polygraph tests on Ferreira instead," the officer added.
When contacted, Kalina Forensic Science Laboratory director Rukmini Krishnamurthy, however, said, "The tests were carried out scientifically and yielded good results which even satisfied the police. We stuck to all standard protocol during the tests."
Labels: Maharashtra, NEWS
posted by Resistance 5/29/2007 09:14:00 AM,
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Naxals clash with cops in Gadchiroli
Wednesday, May 23, 2007
CHANDRAPUR/BHANDARA: The anti-naxal operation squad foiled an attack by naxals in Sironcha tehsil of Gadchiroli district near Andhra Pradesh-Maharashtra border on Tuesday.
According to the police, about 12 naxals, who were hiding in the forest near Ampetha village in Sironcha tehsil, started firing at the police team.
In the return police fired at them and the encounter lasted for about 20 minutes. However, the naxals managed to escape in the nearby jungle. No one was injured in the encounter, said police.
The police team have recovered a camera flash gun, nine batteries, a digital multi-meter, two radio sets, two pittus (bags), books and nine tarpaulin from the area.
Additional superintendent of police Anant Rokde immediately rushed to Sironcha and police have launched a massive combing operation in the area.
In yet another incident, naxals opened fire at a police party in Gondia district on Tuesday afternoon. No one was injured in the encounter. Police have seized naxal literature and other materials from the spot.
Meanwhile, in the wake of a proposed bandh call, the police officials have sounded a red alert in naxal-infested areas. All the precautionary measures have been taken to prevent any untoward incident, said a senior police official.
The Times of India
Labels: Maharashtra, NEWS
posted by Resistance 5/23/2007 01:57:00 PM,
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Nagpur: Magisterial custody for naxals
Monday, May 21, 2007
NAGPUR: The four hardcore naxals, who were arrested at Deekshabhoomi, got some respite on Sunday after they were transferred to magisterial custody from police custody.
The court also allowed police to take Murli alias Ashok Satyam Reddy and Arun Thomas Ferreira for narco analysis test to be held in Mumbai on Monday.
The TOI first reported on May 15 that the police plan to take Murli and Ferreira, who are booked under Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), to Mumbai for a narco analysis. Apparently, the naxals were not cooperating with the investigators and hiding vital information regarding naxalites movements and their purpose of assembling in Nagpur. Both the accused would also be subjected to brain mapping and lie detector tests.
The application was filed by assistant police commissioner at Sitabuldi division D D Gawande, who is investigation officer in the naxal case. The Sunday's hearing was held in a peaceful atmosphere unlike on other days when entire district and sessions court premises remains buzzing with scores of lawyers, policemen and others.
Counsel for state government public prosecutor P K Sathianathan informed the court that they have received the letter from Mumbai's judicial assistance forensic laboratory to produce the naxal duo for narco test on Monday.
Surendra Gadling, the counsel for naxals, also pleaded before the court to transfer these four naxals to MCR as they had been under PCR for long period. He also raised apprehensions regarding health, safety and security of his clients.
Advocate Tiwari from Gondia along with advocate M G Bhangde appeared for Dhanendra Bhurle who is believed to be a self styled-journalist of a leading vernacular daily from Gondia and staunch supporter of naxal activities. Advocate Tiwari
appeared on behalf of journalists from Gondia.
The judge after hearing arguments from both sides and taking views of all the four accused ordered to shift the naxals to MCR from Sunday. Naresh Bansod, president of Andha Shraddha Nirmulan Samiti in Gondia and a naxal sympathiser, was the fourth accused.
The court also allowed wives of Bhurle and Bansod, Prof Sarita Bedarkar and Kalpana Bansod, to talk to their husbands in the court premises. A similar appeal made by both these women during earlier hearing on May 16 was rejected.
Some well wishers of both Bhurle and Bansod also thronged the court. However, no one turned from both Murli and Ferreira's side.
Earlier, the police application stated narco analysis is must on naxal duo as both—Murali (divisional secretary of Maharashtra State Committee of Communist Party of India (Maoist) and Ferreira (resident of Bandra in Mumbai and believed to be a courier of Central Committee of CPI (Maoists))—are neither disclosing names of their associates nor their motive behind meeting at a religious place like Deekshabhoomi.
The four naxals were arrested by Nagpur police on May 8 when they assembled at Deekshabhoomi and seized material like pistol, two magazines, 16 rounds, naxal literature and diaries, pen-drive, two VCDs, MP3 disc and notepad.
The Times of India
Labels: Maharashtra, NEWS
posted by Resistance 5/21/2007 12:10:00 PM,
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Maoists call bandh on May 24
Friday, May 18, 2007
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Tension is brewing in the border districts of Chandrapur, Gadchiroli and Gondia in eastern Vidarbha region in the wake of the Naxalite bandh, called by the CPI (Maoist) on May 24 in protest against the recent arrest of four alleged Naxalites, including Murali Satya Reddy and Arun Ferreira, at Nagpur last week.
According to reports reaching Nagpur on Friday, Maoists are determined to bring these districts---bordering Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Andhra Pradesh--- to a complete standstill on May 24. They have distributed pamphlets and leaflets in this regard and appealed the villagers for ensuring its success.
Anticipating Maoist violence in three troubled districts during the bandh, additional police force is being deployed in the region to tackle the situation. Moreover, police patrolling in all the sensitive areas has also been spruced up in view of possible violence. "We have received the information about the Naxalite designs and are ready to face any eventuality," asserted Pankaj Gupta, inspector general of police (IGP), anti-Naxalite cell.
The intelligence inputs have also warned that the ultra-leftists can trigger large-scale violence using sophisticated arms and landmine blasts. Maoists are trying to mobilise tribals of these districts by instigating them that police were torturing the alleged Naxalites at Nagpur.
The secretary of North Gadchiroli-Gondia-Balaghat and Rajnandgaon division, Murali, the communication expert of the outfit, Ferreira and two others were arrested by the police in Nagpur when they were trying to hold a secret meeting at Deekshabhoomi on May 8. All are now in police custody and would be sent to Mumbai for the narco-analysis and brain-mapping tests soon.
Labels: Maharashtra, NEWS
posted by Resistance 5/18/2007 08:59:00 PM,
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Cops try to gauge extent of Naxalite spread
Police are also keeping a watch on Arun Ferreira's wife Jennifer
After the arrest of Bandra resident Arun Ferreira, the Anti-Naxalite unit of the state police is now trying to find out the extent of Naxalite activities in cities across the state.
An officer said Ferreira was "attached" to a city-based group, having strong Naxalite affinities. Ferreira's wife Jennifer too is under the scanner. Police are keeping tabs on her "activities" to get an idea how pro-Maoist groups are operating in the city and other parts of the state. Last year, the State Intelligence Department had blacklisted 59 city NGOs for funding the Naxalites.
Earlier, officers from the Anti-Naxalite Unit had told DNA that the Maoists operate within cities like Mumbai, Thane and Pune after registering their existence through proxy students and labour organisations.
Ferreira was, however, a member of the Vidyarthi Pragati Sangathana (VPS) that operates from an "undisclosed location" near Byculla. An officer said on Thursday that VPS had kept its activities "skillfully" under wraps. Another organisations that operates in the area is the Akhil Maharashtra Kamgar Union (AMKU), which too has ultra-Left leanings. Ferreira promoted AMKU activities in several parts of the state, another officer said.
"We are trying to find out Ferreira's links with other fellow comrades across the country," special inspector general of police (Anti-Naxalite operations) Pankaj Gupta said.Intelligence Bureau officers along with police officers from Chattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh are now interrogating Ferreira about his "nature of work" and other activities.
"Ferreira's ideological proximity with a few banned underground pro-Naxalite groups has been proved. A few documents seized from him during his arrest are a testimony to this," said an IB officer.
DNALabels: Maharashtra, NEWS
posted by Resistance 5/18/2007 08:58:00 PM,
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Pro-Maoists rope in sympathisers
Thursday, May 17, 2007
NAGPUR: Whenever prominent naxal cadres—especially those with Maoists links are arrested—it is seen that the city's pro-Maoist frontal organisations have roped in sympathiser activist groups to support those behind bars.
Given this, police sources are not at all surprised to hear voices of protest from a group supporting the arrested 'courier' Arun Thomas Ferreira, who is also state committee member.
In August 2005, hard-core Maoist Madan Lal—a state committee member—was nabbed by Nagpur police along with Shantanu Kamble from Mumbai. Kamble—whose arrest had triggered a similar outcry—was the leader of Vidhrohi Sanskrutik Chalval, a pro-Maoist outfit.
"These are the city-based frontal organisations of the Maoists who are creating a false impression to project a misleading picture about the investigating agencies," said a police source. "They are the same people who raise their voice under the garb of seeking justice to highlight naxal encounters as fake or exaggerate injustice to Dalits (as in Khairlanji case)," said a police source.
Though there was not much outcry about his release, Madhukar alias Kavali Yadyya—another resident of Mumbai working for a labour union—was one of the Naxals arrested by Gadchiroli police in January 2005. He was reportedly a member of Charbhatti dalam. Another Mumbai-based social worker Dilip Wankhede—an active member of Kurkhera dalam—is still absconding. He was sent from Mumbai to take part in the active Naxal activities and was working in the arms factory near Katol.
Meena alias Manju alias Seema Hirani, another Mumbai resident—and wife of Vijay, member of central committee and secretary of Maharashtra state committee, was also known to be an active Maoists leader in the state. Seema, like Ferriera, was an active member of Vidyarthi Pragatisheel Sanghathan in Mumbai, said a source. She joined Kurkhera dalam and was commander of the group for about four years. She later moved to Surat as the secretary of Surat urban area committee. She is active but underground in Surat and surrounding areas, revealed a police source.
Similar voices of protests were heard when the Chandrapur police arrested Viplab Teltumde, Bhaskar and other pro-Maoist activists. Claiming that Teltumde was a social activist and an intellectual, his sympathisers had provoked much criticism regarding the arrest and police action. The self-styled fact-finding committee was reported to have come alive to project an innocent image of Teltumde. Being a LLB student, Viplab was known to be organising students to work as pro-Maoist following his uncle Milind Teltumde's instructions, claimed a police source.
A Nagpur-based professor in sociology Dr Anuradha Gandhi, who also taught at the Nagpur University, is alleged to have masterminded several movements in the city. Police sources allege that she works under pseudonyms 'Narmada' and is a state committee member at present. In Nagpur, she used to mobilise students (VPS), youth (NBS) and women's organisations and for the cause of the Maoists.
Arrested by Nagpur rural police in 2004, Maoist leader Mallesh alias Vikram alias Saili, a deputy commander of Deori Dalam and also a member of the Chandrapur's area committee, had reportedly confessed about the activities of the naxal frontal organisations in Vidarbha. He reportedly had disclosed about the training camp of CPI (Maoist) at Wardha. Mallesh's wife Kavita Yerme and her sister Varsha are also known to be active in Tanda Dalam.
Another Maoist Kataiya Saili Kusum, who was arrested in June 2006, made similar revelations. During their interrogation, they disclosed vital information regarding the involvement of the city's educated brass in the functioning of the city's frontal organisations.
-The Times of India
Labels: Maharashtra, NEWS
posted by Resistance 5/17/2007 04:13:00 PM,
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Navegaon safe haven for Naxalites
Wednesday, May 16, 2007
Staff have almost given up the protection and conservation of the park
The sylvan surroundings of the Navegaon National Park in Gondia district have in recent months become a preferred hideout of the outlawed Naxalites with the result that the forest staff is running for cover.
In the last four months, extremist elements have penetrated from their set base of Deori on Maharashtra-Chhattisgarh border and have struck at all four range offices. In fact, in one audacious attack, they stole wireless sets including one fitted in the vehicle of deputy conservator of forest, no less, in January this year.
So threatened do the staffers feel that they have virtually given up on protection and conservation activity. Sources said the 80-odd Naxals attached to the Deori dalam who had been rather dormant in the past few years, have reared their heads after Tendu leaves collection work began to swell revenue coffers.
It is learnt that forest revenue from Tendu auction has gone up to Rs100crore from the Rs21-22crore last year. With this scenario accruing, the Naxals have virtually taken over the 135sq km park, forcing the forest officials to shy away from even routine protection and conservation activity.
Deputy Conservator of Forests, Navegaon National Park Vijay Rakhe said, "Naxal activities have become remarkably visible in the park since the last four months. They are trying to garner support from tribals to carry out their activities. The forest department staff feels threatened due to their presence in the park". So far, they have not caused major harm, but the employees are not willing for night patrol."
By coincidence or by design, the Naxal threat has come at a time when the wildlife is on the upswing. For the first time since the last decade tigers have been found in the park. "There are concrete evidences, indirect though, of presence of a pair. Their existence was detected following a pug mark and water hole census conducted a fortnight ago. There are also reports of presence of a tigress with cub," Rakhe added.
According to noted conservationist Bittu Sahgal, "Naxal infiltration will eventually spell doom for the forests. The situation will only deteriorate with the government showing little inclination to protect the forests".
He said wildlife trade has served as a fuel for the Naxal activity. Manpower and fund crunch have only compounded the problem, Sahgal adding, "It is high time that the state and central governments took concrete steps to protect forest wealth."
DNA
Labels: Maharashtra, NEWS
posted by Resistance 5/16/2007 02:28:00 PM,
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City police to take strong action against Ferreira supporters
The city police have decided to take a stern stand against those who try to take strong exception to the arrest of four Naxalites and sympathise with Mumbai-based Maoist Arun Ferreira, asserted police commissioner, SPS Yadav.
Reacting to the statement of Ferreira's Mumbai "friends", who are coming in Nagpur on Wednesday to ascertain the reasons for his arrest, Yadav said that prima facie evidences have established that Ferreira was a hardcore Naxalite and was very close to the CPI (Maoist) top brasses.
The Mumbai-based friends of Ferreira said that he was innocent and were quite apprehensive about his police safety. Some of his St Xavier's days friends, are coming in Nagpur on Wednesday and are likely to brief a vast cross-section of people about the incident.
In a major breakthrough, the Nagpur police arrested four Naxalites, include Ferreira and top extremist, Murali Sattya Reddy on May 8 at Deekshabhoomi. While Murali was one of the top leaders in Naxalite hierarchy, Ferreira was a communications and propaganda strategy expert. "We have enough evidences that show that Ferreira is a hardcore Naxalite. During our investigations we learnt that he and Murali, a divisional secretary of the Naxalite group, were staying together in the city. If he was innocent why did he throw a pen-drive and diary when the police reached the spot and were trying to arrest them on May 8?" Yadav asked and informed that the pen-drive contained several revealing information, including minutes of secret meetings of Naxalites' organisation and its strategies.
Moreover, police seized a 9mm Chinese-made pistol, two magazines, 16 rounds of ammunition, two VCDs, an MP3 CD, a notepad containing information on manufacture of improvised explosive devices and use of walkie-talkies from them. "Can a simple person carry such materials? How can they justify their acts?" he further asked. Yadav continued, "he might be a bright and sobre student during his college days. But that does not mean that he is still carrying his past. It is utter shamelessness to defend persons associated with a banned organisation like the CPI (Maoist)," a furious CP said.
According to the city police super, Ferreira is close to Vishnu, the chief of the Maharashtra unit of CPI (Maoist). Ferreira and his three associates were booked under 10, 13 and 20 of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act.
Meanwhile, the committee for the protection of democratic rights (CPDR) filed a writ petition before the Nagpur bench of Bombay High Court on Tuesday against the police torture of four alleged Naxalites, including Ferreira.
While filing the petition, it said that the JMFC Court in Nagpur did not take any cognizance of these accused, who pointed out before the court the torture by the police during "interrogation". The petitioner also raised the issue of safety and security of these accused. The court served notices to the state home department and local police to file their replies by June 6 next.
Talking to Hindustan Times, Surendra Gadling, the counselor of Ferreira said that they would oppose the police move for narco-analysis test and braining-mapping in the court on Wednesday.
Hindustan Times
Labels: Maharashtra, NEWS
posted by Resistance 5/16/2007 01:20:00 PM,
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Narco test for Naxalities in Mumbai
Tuesday, May 15, 2007
NAGPUR: Two hardcore naxalites—Murali alias Mahesh alias Ashok Satyam Reddy and Arun Ferriera alias Sanjay Choudhary—may under go narco analysis test at Mumbai's forensic laboratory. The duo was arrested with another two naxals near Deekshabhoomi last Tuesday.
The Nagpur police had filed an application in this regard on Friday before judicial magistrate first class R S Aradhey who is in-charge of court No 2 on the district and sessions court premises in Nagpur.
The court then asked the naxalites' counsels, including Surendra Gadling, Anil Kale, Deepak Kanojia, and Harshal Lingayat, to file their replies.However, the counsels told the court that they couldn't file the reply immediately
since they hadn't received copies of the first information report (FIR), narco-analysis application, documents detailing charges against Murali or information obtained from the pen drive recovered from the naxalites. The police provided the counsels with the required documents on Monday except the information obtained from the pen drive since it is 'highly confidential.'
During the hearing before third judicial magistrate first class N S Momin on Monday, the counsels for the naxalites pleaded before the court that they would need some more time to file the reply and would submit their replies on March 16. Advocate P Sathianathan appeared for the state government.
The application filed by assistant police commissioner (Sitabuldi division) D D Gawande stated that the naxals who are booked under Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) should be subjected to narco-analysis, brain mapping and lie-detector tests, as they were not revealing their original plans and their purpose of coming to the city.
The Times of India
Labels: Maharashtra, NEWS
posted by Resistance 5/15/2007 09:47:00 AM,
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‘Naxalites making inroads into cities’
Sunday, May 13, 2007
Police believe Arun Ferreira had a crucial role in the policy-making body
Arun Ferreira's arrest is indicative of a Naxalite game plan to penetrate major cities like Mumbai, Pune and Nashik. An officer with the Anti-Naxalite Cell said the arrest showed that the Naxalites-Maoists had successfully infiltrated the cities.
"We can't deny that Naxalites are active in Mumbai and Pune. And they are eager to tap into issues that can generate sufficient discontent among the urban population," said special inspector-general of police, anti-Naxalite operations, Pankaj Gupta.
As Ferreira was managing communications and propaganda, he may have been scouting for issues needed to increase the support base, another officer said. He said the Naxalites-Maoists have been operating in Mumbai for some time now — often registering their proxy presence through students' organisations, labour groups and NGOs. "We are trying to verify if Ferreira, a senior cadre, was entrusted with carrying out any specific agenda like garnering intellectual support in Mumbai," said the officer.
An officer with the Intelligence Bureau (IB), however, said though Ferreira came from an upper-class affluent family, he might have got involved in the movement to gather intellectual support.
After interrogating Ferreira, police believe that the Bandra resident might have had a crucial role in the five-member policy making body (Maharashtra state committee) of the Communist Part of India (Maoist), which operates from Mumbai. The Maharashtra state committee is a part of the Southwest Regional Bureau (Karnataka and Gujarat) formed by the Left-wing extremists.
Another IB officer said, "The motivation for the struggle percolates down from city-based operatives (the intellectually superior) to the foot soldiers. And the effect (violence) is felt in Gadchiroli-Amravati-Gondia and Chandrapur."
DNA
Labels: Maharashtra, NEWS
posted by Resistance 5/13/2007 08:39:00 AM,
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Naxals gaining foothold in Nagpur
Thursday, May 10, 2007
NAGPUR: Santra, Peepal, Aam, Khajur and Bar. It may sound like the recipe of a fruit salad, but is much more sinister than that. These are some codes by which Naxalites reportedly refer to cities in Maharashtra.
The city police are now trying to decipher such codes that have been found in the documents seized from the four naxals, who were arrested near Deekshabhoomi on Tuesday.
While the police conjecture that 'santra' refers to Orange city Nagpur and 'aam' is another name for Amravati, the meaning of other monickers has yet to be established. These codes hint at a deep-rooted network of Maoists in the state, especially cities like Nagpur and Mumbai, sources said.
The arrest of Mumbai resident Arun Thomas Pereira alias Sanjay Choudhary also hints that Maoist activities may have started striking roots in the commercial capital of India. "Maoists are aiming to consolidate their operations in at least two cities in Maharashtra. Although we aren't sure about one of them, the other is Nagpur," said commissioner of police SPS Yadav during a media briefing on Wednesday.
"In Mumbai, Naxal activities might be very low-key but their existence cannot be denied," Yadav added. "Naxalites might be present in Mumbai, but in lesser numbers than in Nagpur," he conjectured.
The copy of a letter written by Maoist leader Sushil Roy, presently lodged in Kolkata jail, addressed to the West Bengal chief minister was also found from the possession of the arrested naxals.
Several translated documents related to the violence in Nandigram in West Bengal found in the seized documents hinted that apart from Dalit sentiments and farmers' suicides in Vidarbha, Maoists are also looking at a broader horizon for support.
The police chief said the naxals probably chose Deekshabhoomi to meet, discuss and exchange materials to fan communal violence based on Dalit sentiments in near future. Apart from a convenient meeting point, Nagpur could be a place for treatment of injured cadres or their family members, rehabilitation and shelter, stated Yadav.
The Times of India
Labels: Maharashtra, NEWS
posted by Resistance 5/10/2007 10:48:00 AM,
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Four naxals including top leader arrested in Nagpur
Wednesday, May 9, 2007
In a major breakthrough, the city police on Tuesday evening arrested a top Maoist leader and three other naxalites, wanted for serious crimes at Deekshabhoomi in Nagpur where Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar embraced Buddhism along with his supporters 50 years ago.
The Commissioner of Police SPS Yadav said that the suspected Maoist leader has been identified as Murali alias Ashok Satya Reddy, chief of North Gadchiroli-Gondia-Balaghat and Rajnandgaon division while others are: Arun Pareira of Bandra in Mumbai, Dhanendra Bhurle and Naresh Bansod of Gondia. Of them, Pareira is the chief of communication and propaganda of the ultra-left wing.
For the naxalites of CPI (Maoists), who are yet to recover from the shock caused by the arrest of its politburo member, Narayan Sanyal last year from Raipur and Markam Gopanna, the secretary of North Bastar division in Chhattisgarh on May 4 near Raipur, Murali’s arrest was being regarded as yet another jolt to the outfit.
According to the city police, the CPI (Maoist) had convened a special meeting at Deekshabhoomi on Tuesday with a view to plan subversive activities at Nagpur. The senior Naxalite leader was also entrusted the job to spread naxalism in Nagpur and its surrounding area recently and hence the meeting. Acting on a tip off, police laid a trap around Deekshabhoomi premises. As soon as the four naxalites emerged out of the main gate after the meeting, the police intercepted and arrested them. Police recovered arms, including a revolver, naxalite literature and a mobile from them.
A police team had rushed to Mumbai and raided the residence of Pareira at Bandra (W) last evening. Search operations are still on there.
Murali, top-ranked naxalite has been working in Gadchiroli and its neighbouring areas for the last one decade. He was responsible for triggering a landmine blast in Salekasa of Gondia, killing two PSI and five policemen on the spot in 2005. Moreover, it was suspected that he was mastermind to kill of Madhya Pradesh Transport minister, Likhiram Kawre in Balaghat, a few years ago.
Yadav claimed that documents seized from that revealed that they were planning to instigate people for launching an agitation on farmers suicide and a movement on the line of Nandigram to oppose SEZ in Nagpur. The city police came to conclusion after interrogation that Murali was behind to instigate dalits I the region on Khairlanji that led to violence and arson in several parts in the state.
The arrested Maoists also provided vital clues during the intensive interrogations. A five-member team from AP police has already reached Nagpur to interrogate them further while police teams from neighbouring Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh are coming tomorrow.
The naxalite Murali married to one Ranjita, a dalam (squad) commandant of Kobrameda in Gadchiroli in 2002. Ranjita remarried Murali after her husband, Tulshiram Madavi, another dalam commander, was killed by naxalites when he surrendered before the police to lead a peaceful life in 2002. It was said that Murali was instrumental for the killing of Tulshiram and later he married Ranjita and promoted her as the dalam commander.
The city police booked all the four under 10, 13 and 20 of the Unlawful Activities prevention Act, 1969 and 353 and 34 of the Indian Penal Code. They were produced before the local court and got police remand till May 16.
Labels: Maharashtra, NEWS
posted by Resistance 5/09/2007 09:25:00 PM,
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Encounters, arson mark bandh called by Naxalites
Sunday, April 15, 2007
MUMBAI: Twin encounters with security officials at Gadchiroli and another incident of Maoists trying to burn records inside a panchayat office, marked the bandh called by Naxalites in Maharashtra on Tuesday. However, no casualties were reported.
The Communist Party of India (Maoist) had called the bandh across Gadchiroli, Gondia and Chandrapur to protest against the death of their 22 comrades, killed in police encounters in the state last year.
In another major breakthrough, four top Maoist guerrillas surrendered on Sunday, taking the total number of extremists, who have given up their arms, to 146.
Intelligence inputs had warned that the Left-wing extremists could trigger large-scale violence using automatic rifles, imported pistols and even mortars against the police and paramilitary forces.
"We were on maximum alert to ensure that the bandh was observed peacefully. It was significant since four Maoist extremists have surrendered in the past two days," special inspector general of police (anti-Naxalite operations) Pankaj Gupta told DNA.
The Maoists said the bandh was called to protest against the alleged fake encounters against their comrades. They further incriminated the police saying the latter never bothered to check the antecedents of those killed.
But according to a senior security official, all those who were killed in the encounters were hardcore Naxalites. "Before we launched the attacks, we checked details of each one of them. In some cases, offensive literature and weapons were seized from the victims," he added on condition of anonymity.
Labels: Maharashtra, NEWS
posted by Resistance 4/15/2007 09:15:00 AM,
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Surrendered Maoists come under fire, 8 killed
Wednesday, April 4, 2007
At least eight surrendered Maoists were killed by their former guerrilla comrades in various parts of Maharashtra in the past few months, official statistics have revealed. Sources said the killings mostly occurred in Gadchiroli, Gondia and Chandrapur areas in what is being dubbed as a new strategy on the part of the Left-wing extremists to prevent the flow of "inside information" over to the security personnel.
Special Inspector General (anti-Naxalite operations) Pankaj Gupta told DNA, "It is a trend that surrendered Naxalites are getting eliminated by their former colleagues, who remain at war with the government. The need of the hour is to put in place a proper plan to shield surrendered guerillas." The killings have also brought to fore the failure of the security forces (they claim they have no special funds to extend security cover to surrendered extremists) to protect surrendered Maoists putting a question mark on the viability the state government's Naxalite surrender policy which was announced with much fanfare in August 2005.
Also, the government's recent release of Rs38 lakh, to be paid to the surrendered Naxalites, could ring hollow if former (read surrendered) extremists are not provided adequate security cover. So far, 142 guerrillas have given themselves up in Maharashtra. Union Home Ministry sources said another Naxalite move, which had lately come to light, is aimed at winning back "lost Naxalite cadre" - a ploy designed to breathe fresh fire into the people's movement. A section of the top Naxalite commanders are in the process of giving final shape to "win back" plans, it was learnt.
"We cannot deny the possibility of some of the surrendered guerrillas being sucked into the movement afresh. We are on constant vigil to ward off any such eventuality," Gupta added. As part of its Vision Document to fight the Naxalites, the security forces have now decided to maintain regular registers on the surrendered elements. "Only by way of keeping registers can we effectively pre-empt the surrendered Maoists from going back to the jungles," said a senior security official.
Along with the new developments another thorn in the neck of the security forces in the discovery that indigenous Maoists have access to minutes of meetings (which discussed anti-Naxalite strategies at length) held last year being chaired by Union Home Secretary VK Duggal and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. Meanwhile, the recently-seized documents, from a hide-out of Communist Party of India (Maoist) activists in Jharkhand, said time is ripe for the guerrillas to scout for newer ways to exploit weaknesses in the security forces and indulge in weapons-snatching bids.
Labels: Maharashtra, NEWS
posted by Resistance 4/04/2007 09:39:00 AM,
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