NIA searches properties of activists, attorneys in Andhra, Telangana over ‘Maoist plot’

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has carried out searches at 31 areas throughout Andhra Pradesh and Telangana in reference to a case of an alleged Maoist conspiracy in opposition to the police and the federal government. This follows an FIR registered final month, naming 64 people together with journalists, attorneys and civil rights activists.
The searches, which started Wednesday night and continued Thursday, have been unfold throughout eight districts of Andhra Pradesh — Visakhapatnam, Guntur, Prakasam, Srikakulam, Kurnool, Krishna, East Godavari and Kadapa — and 4 districts of Telangana — Ranga Reddy, Hyderabad, Medchal-Malkajgiri and Medak.
The NIA mentioned the searches have been linked to the case “relating to furthering the activities of the proscribed organization, CPI (Maoist), in Andhra Pradesh in the guise of frontal organizations”.
It mentioned the searches had led to the seizure of 40 cellphones, 44 SIM playing cards, 70 storage gadgets, 184 CDs/DVDs, 19 pen drives, Rs 10 lakh in money from an accused, sickles, axe, machetes moreover paperwork, CPI (Maoist) flags, occasion literature and press notes.
Six individuals have already been arrested within the case – they’ve been recognized as journalist Pangi Naganna, Anduluri Annapurna, Jangarla Koteswar Rao, Manukonda Srinivasa Rao, Rela Rajeswari and Boppudi Anjamma.
This is the second main case that the NIA has registered in opposition to main civil rights activists after the Bhima Koregaon-Elgar Parishad case.
In the current case, registered on March 7, the NIA mentioned its FIR was based mostly on a case filed by Andhra Pradesh police final yr following the arrest of journalist Pangi Naganna.
According to the NIA, on November 23 final yr, personnel of the Munchingput police station in Visakhapatnam district intercepted Pangi Naganna close to Basuput village whereas he was on his motorbike. A search of his baggage led to the alleged restoration of Maoist literature, press releases, medicines and wire bundles.
“Upon examination, Pangi Naganna revealed that he has been working as a journalist and passing information about police movements to the Maoists. He has also been involved in instigating villagers to stop combing operations, obstruct police from entering villages, revolt against police parties and to hold rallies against the government,” the NIA FIR acknowledged.

In Hyderabad, the NIA and police groups searched the home of advocate Rathunath Verose, vice-president of Civil Liberties Committee, Telangana. The residence of Dappu Ramesh, a former member of Jana Nitya Mandali, was additionally searched.
A civil rights activist, Verose is thought for taking on circumstances of custodial deaths, rehabilitation of mission oustees, and serving to folks file habeas corpus petitions.
Rights activists condemned the searches, saying the federal government was intimidating voices of dissent. G Laxman, president of the Civil Liberties Committee, mentioned: “This indicates growing intolerance. Voices are being suppressed through intimidation and raids. Without any proof or evidence, they are raiding and searching homes of activists. False cases under UAPA are being filed.”
In Andhra Pradesh, searches have been carried out on the premises of V S Krishna, the AP and Telangana Coordination Committee member of Human Rights Forum; Chilika Chandrasekhar, common secretary of Andhra Pradesh Civil Liberties Committee; Varalakshmi of Virasam (Viplava Rachayitala Sangham) and Telugu Revolutionary Writers Association (Kadapa); APCLC president C Babu (Rajahmundry), advocates Okay Padma and Okay Challam (Visakhapatnam); G Pinakapani of Revolutionary Writers Association (Kurnool); and, Somasekhar Sarma, president of Rayalaseema Vidyavanthula Vedika.

V S Krishna has been preventing for the rights of tribals. His organisation has been opposing mining in forest areas. “Some officials searched my house and office and took away some material. This is nothing but intimidation and scare tactics to silence dissenting voices,” Krishna mentioned.
Pinakapani mentioned circumstances have been being foisted on activists merely for voicing their opinion. “Merely having some literature is enough to be labelled a Maoist sympathiser,” he mentioned.