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The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Wednesday, June 26 carried out extensive searches on a dozen locations in Maoist affected region of Chhattisgarh as part of its investigation into the brutal murder of a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Ratan Dubey in November last year.
The agency during the raids carried out searches in several premises linked with various suspects and Over Ground Workers (OWGs) and supporters of the Bayanar Area Committee under the East Bastar Division of the outlawed CPI Maoist.
According to the information shared by the agency, the raids were conducted in Kongera, Dhaudai, Toynar, Koushalnar and Badenhod villages during which the agency has seized several mobile phones and cash amounting to around Rs 10 lakh. The sleuths of the agency during the raids have also recovered pamphlets and literature linked to the Maoists.
NIA had taken over the investigation from the local police in February 2024 and has already chargesheeted one accused in the case in June this year. The agency filed a chargesheet against the accused, identified as Dhansingh Korram alias Sukhdev Korram, an active cadre of the banned Maoist outfit in connection with the Ratan Dubey’s murder case.
Korram was chargesheeted under the relevant section of Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) in a chargesheet filed by the premier agency before a special NIA court of Jagdalpur
According to the investigation by the NIA, the accused, Korram was actively involved in the conspiracy pertaining to the targeted killing of Dubey, who was brutally hacked to death after the latter was out on an election campaign in a crowded weekly market at Koushalnar village of Narayanpur district.
The NIA investigation has revealed that the conspiracy behind Dubey’s murder was aimed at disrupting the free and fair election process and spreading terror among the local residents. NIA had further disclosed that Korram had conducted recce of the BJP leader and had subsequently informed the assailants about his presence in the Koushalnar weekly market on November 4.
During the attack on Dubey, Korram threw Naxal (Maoist) pamphlets at the spot and then escaped the scene. He was later arrested by Chhattisgarh police on December 10 last year.
Targeted killings of BJP workers in Narayanpur
It is worth mentioning here that the Maoist have carried out a string of killing of the political workers associated with the BJP in Narayanpur and other adjoining regions in the last one and a half year.
The killings include of the then BJP’s vice president of Narayanpur district, Sagar Sahu who was shot dead by two unknown assailants when the latter was at his residence in February last year. It was later alleged that the killing was carried out by the Maoists.
Months later, the outlaws in another attack brutally murdered BJP leader Ratan Dubey when he was out on campaigning in a local weekly market. Dubey was hacked to death by a Small Action Team (SAT) of the Maoists.
Dubey’s murder was followed by killing of another BJP worker Komal Manjhi who was brutally hacked to death by the Maoist when he was returning after offering prayers at a local temple in the Chotedongar area of Narayanpur on December 9.
The killing of Manjhi triggered exodus of scores of political representatives who took shelter in a government premise in the district headquarters and are being residing under the constant watch of the security personnel.
The recent addition in the list is of Pancham Das, who was brutally hacked to death by the members of the SAT team of the outlaws in Dandwan village under Farasgaon police station limits of Narayanpur in April this year.
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