The proscribed Communist Party of India (Maoist) in a pamphlet has threatened the Maharashtra food and Drugs minister alleging that he and his relatives are working as agents of a private iron ore mine in the Gadchiroli district of Maharashtra.
According to the reports, the Maoist pamphlet with the name of Srinivas of ‘Paschim Sub Zonal Bureau’ of outlawed CPI Maoist threatened Dharmaraobaba Atram, an MLA of the region, his son-in-law and others for allegedly working as an agent of Surajgarh ore mine.
The pamphlet dropped by the Ultras read that the CPI Maoist is issuing a stern warning to those who are doing anti-people work and asked them to stop it immediately otherwise they would have to bear the consequences for the same. MLA Dharmaraobaba Atram, his son-in-law and other acquaintances of his should also be barred from entering the district, it read further.
It’s been reported that the Maoist have threatened Artam for the third time in a year and earlier he also had received similar threat during the winter session of the state assembly. At that time the then chief minister had also promised to upgrade the security of Atram, however its been learnt that the leader’s security was never upgraded.
Speaking to the media, the food minister, Atram quoted that the “Surajgarh project has provided employment for thousands of hands, the sole purpose of mine is the development of the district thus I do not heed to such threatening.”
Meanwhile, interacting with the media district superintendent of police, Gadchiroli, Neelotpal said that we are looking into the matter seriously and initiated an investigation into the matter. Currently the minister has been provided a Z level security and we are monitoring it closely.
Surajgarh Iron ore mine and steel project
It is to be noted that the Maoists have time and again attempted to halt production in the Lloyds Metals and Energy Limited (LMEL) managed project in Surajgarh of Gadchiroli. Earlier in March this year the Ultras had also instructed the villagers of 13 villages under Pursolgondi gram panchayat of Etapalli block to boycott work in the mines.
It was then reported that the Maoist move was inspired by the company’s announcement of expanding its production as well as setting up a steel plant in the region. Though this was not the first time that the Maoist had abrupted the smooth functioning of the mines as earlier on many occasions the Ultras have wreaked havoc in the vicinity of the mines, that includes the infamous attack on the mines in 2016 for which prof GN Saibaba had been sentenced to life imprisonment.
It is pertinent to mention that the Iron ore mine and the steel project is the only means of livelihood for the locals that employs more than 3500 people of the insurgency-hit Gadchiroli district.
Maoist arrested in Bihar
In another development on the Maoist front a wanted Maoist of the outlawed CPI Maoist has been nabbed by the Saran police on Wednesday September, 20.
According to the reports, Dariyapur police on Wednesday got some Input about the presence of Maoist Agnidev Ram, a resident of Bhagwanpur under Dariyapur police station limits of Saran in the Parsa area. Acting on the tip-off the police team then chased and arrested Agnidev.
The team also recovered a country made pistol along with two live cartridges from the possession of the accused alongside seizing a motorbike. It’s been learnt that as many as six cases including of murder, loot and arms act have been pending against the accused in Dariyapur police station.
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