Naxal leaders regrouping in city?

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

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