NIA conducts raids at 12 places in Bengal over Maoists links

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) is conducting raids since Tuesday morning, 1 October, at seven locations in West Bengal in connection with funding of Maoists or Left Wing Extremist (LWE) groups operating out of Chhattisgarh.

Sources said that raids are being conducted in Sodepur and Jagaddal in North 24-Parganas district and Asansol in West Burdwan district.

Each team of the raiding NIA officials is escorted by the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) personnel.

The main focus of the NIA sleuths, sources added, are self-proclaimed social workers Manabesh Chakraborty, Shipra Chakraborty and Sudipta Paul, who, the investigating officials believe, are “Urban Naxalites” involved in arranging funds for the LWE groups.

Sources said that the search operations since Tuesday morning are being conducted on the basis of specific clues that all four persons, though operating mainly from West Bengal, have a nexus with pan-India LWE organisations, especially those active in Chhattisgarh.

The investigating officials are trying to pinpoint the exact points-of-contact with the pan-India LWE groups.

Sources said that the NIA has got information that besides arranging funds for the LWE groups, these four individuals are suspected of being involved in brainwashing educated youths to join the Maoist movements.

Also under the scanner of investigating officials is Avigyan Sarkar, a self-proclaimed research scholar and an alumnus of Kolkata’s iconic Jadavpur University.