Chhattisgarh: NIA raids 6 places in attack on poll party during 2023 state polls
Several mobile phones and Rs.2,98,000 in cash were seized during the searches from the premises of suspects believed to be working as overground workers (OGWs)/supporters of the Mainpur-Nuapada division
New Delhi: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has carried out searches at multiple locations in Chhattisgarh in connection with an improvised explosive device (IED) attack on a polling party during the second phase of assembly elections in the state in November 2023, officials said on Friday.
“NIA teams conducted extensive searches at the premises of six suspects in the Naxal-infested area of village Badegobra, police station Manipur, district Gariyaband, as part of its investigations in the case,” a spokesperson of the federal anti-terror probe agency said on Friday.
“Several mobile phones and Rs.2,98,000 in cash were seized during the searches from the premises of suspects believed to be working as overground workers (OGWs)/supporters of the Mainpur-Nuapada division of the banned Communist Party of India (Maoist) outfit,” the spokesperson added.
According to officials, an Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) head constable was killed in the blast while he was providing cover to the polling official’s convoy, which was on its way back to the district headquarters after voting in a remote village in Gariyaband district on November 17.
The Maoists who executed the blast and fled the area were later identified as Satyam Gawde alias Surendra, Deepak Mandavi, Janki, Meena Gawde, Ramdas Markam, Tikesh, Ravi, Ajay Mandavi, Shanti and others.
Officials who did not want to be named said they were members of the Mainpur Local Guerilla Squad and Nagri Area Committee of the Communist Party of India (Maoist).
The NIA had taken over the probe in the incident in February this year, along with several other cases related to Maoist violence in the state. This year, the federal agency has already taken up 18 cases in its Raipur branch – most cases are related to incidents carried out by Maoists.
Union home minister Amit Shah has directed all the agencies to work together as the Centre is aiming to completely end left-wing extremism (LWE) in the next one or two years.
The security forces have already intensified the operations in the core areas of Chhattisgarh for the past six months, killing at least 90 Maoists so far this year, while over 250 red ultras have laid down arms.
