In a joint operation by intelligence agencies and Nagpur police, Rejaz M Sheeba Sydeek, a known Maoist sympathiser and president of the Kerala chapter of the Democratic Students Union, was arrested from a hotel in Marwadi Chowk on May 8. He was found in the company of his girlfriend, a student at a reputed college in Nagpur.
Sydeek was reportedly tracked after he posted an Instagram story criticizing ‘Operation Sindoor’ while brandishing firearms, triggering concerns about his ideological affiliations and potential role in Maoist propaganda efforts. He has been booked under charges including waging war against the nation.
During the arrest, police seized three books related to banned Maoist ideology, including one focused on late ideologue GN Saibaba. Among the recovered materials was a booklet titled ‘Stop Encirclement of Karregutta’, which condemned the government’s ongoing operations in the Karregutta hills — a former Maoist stronghold currently being reclaimed by security forces. Another document titled ‘Operation Kagar to Operation Sindoor’ was intended to promote Maoist propaganda and initiate calls for peace talks spanning “Delhi to Bastar.”
Authorities allege that Sydeek, under the guise of student activism and journalism, was a covert urban operative for the banned CPI (Maoist), tasked with raising funds, producing propaganda, and initiating publications like the proposed journal Nazariya. His mission reportedly included building clandestine student cells within educational institutions to disseminate anti-government ideology.
Police sources revealed that Sydeek arrived in Nagpur on May 5 to meet his girlfriend, a native of Patna, whom he had met via Instagram. She too is reportedly heavily influenced by Maoist ideology. The investigation is ongoing, with authorities examining digital devices and contacts to uncover wider urban networks connected to Maoist activities.
However, it appears that all information has now been removed from the Instagram and Facebook accounts under the name ‘Sydeek’. Authorities noted that the accounts were deactivated for legal reasons, potentially in response to the ongoing investigation.
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