The National Investigation Agency (NIA).
Credit: PTI File Photo
The National Investigation Agency has conducted raids at eight locations in Uttar Pradesh as part of a crackdown to thwart attempts by the banned CPI (Maoist) to revive its activities in the state, an official said on Wednesday. Premises of accused and suspects in Prayagraj, Chandauli, Varanasi, Deoria and Azamgarh districts were raided, a spokesperson of the federal agency said.
Digital devices, including mobile phones, SIM cards, laptops, pen drives and compact discs, naxal literature, books and pamphlets, pocket diaries, money receipt books and other incriminating documents were seized during the raids, the official said.
'The investigations indicate that several frontal organisations and students wings have been tasked to motivate and recruit cadres and propagate the ideology of the CPI (Maoist) with the intent of waging a war against the government of India,' the spokesperson said, adding that they were conspiring to commit acts of terror and violence in furtherance of this agenda.
The official said it has been found in investigations that recently arrested CPI(Maoist) Central Committee member Pramod Mishra was leading cadre and over ground workers in a bid to revive the left-wing extremist organisation.
Last month, the Bihar Police had arrested Rohit Vidyarthi, the brother of Ritesh Vidyarthi whose wife is named in the FIR relating to the matter.
Rohit Vidyarthi's interrogation had further led the state police to arrest Mishra, who was also the in-charge of the NRB (Northern Regional Bureau) of the CPI (Maoist), the spokesperson said.
Following these arrests, the agency said, police seized arms and ammunition, and busted a gun factory. The FIR, filed by the NIA in connection with the case, earlier had named accused Manish Azad and his wife Amita Shireen and Ritesh Vidyarthi and his wife Soni Azad along with their associates Vishwavijay and his wife Seema Azad, Kripa Shankar, Akanksha Azad and Rajesh Azad as some of the key accused working to further the CPI (Maoist)'s attempts to revive itself, the spokesperson said.