Maoists attack mastermind linked to top activists: Police

RAIPUR - Six people were arrested Sunday on charges of being involved in an attack on a Congress leader’s house in Chhattisgarh July 8 that killed two people and the police claimed that the mastermind of the incident had links with top activists like Nandini Sundar, Arundhati Roy, Medha Patkar and Himanshu Kumar.

In a press statement issued late Sunday, the police claimed that the attack mastermind was Lingaram Koropi and he was linked to the activists who run an NGO in Dantewada district.

When contacted by IANS about the authenticity of the statement, T.J. Longkumer, inspector general of police, Bastar range said: “It’s a completely genuine press statement issued by S.R.P. Kalluri, senior superintendent of police (SSP), Dantewada.”

Congress leader Avdhesh Singh Gautam’s house at Nakulnar village, some 450 km south of capital Raipur, was attacked by 150 Maoists. Gautam’s family member and one of his employees were killed in the incident. Several of his family members, including Gautam’s son, were injured.

The police statement, issued in Hindi, said that about 150 Maoists participated in the attack backed by some 150 men and women rebel supporters.

The statement said that the attack mastermind, who is doing a media course in New Delhi, is getting terror training in Gujarat and the national capital for past few months and had links to Patkar, Sundar, Roy and Kumar.

Maoists had carried out a simultaneously attack on Kuakonda police station which the police claim was to restrict them so as not to come to the rescue of the rescue of the Congress leader’s family.

The statement issued by police in Bastar said it will send a letter to the state police headquarters for a comprehensive probe into the matter.