NIA cracks down on Maoist sympathizers in TN, raids 12 places across state

Officials from the National Investigation Agency (NIA) raided 12 places in Tamil Nadu on Tuesday (October 12) in connection with the Edakkara Maoist Training Camp case.

Raids were conducted in Chennai, Coimbatore, Salem, Theni, Sivaganga, Kanyakumari and Pudukottai districts.

Edakkara Maoist Training Camp case is related to the training camp held in Nilambur Mundakadavu Colony in Kerala in September 2016 on occasion of the formation of CPI (Maoist). The camp reportedly held arms training and study classes on Maoism.

The Kerala Police had identified 19 participants from a photograph that was taken during the training camp and had booked them under Unlawful Activities Prevention Act, Arms Act and other provisions of Indian Penal Code for indulging in anti-national activities.

The Union Home Ministry order the NIA to take over the case from Kerala Police in August this year. An FIR was re-registered by the NIA on August 20.

On Tuesday, the NIA sent its team to several locations across Tamil Nadu.

In Coimbatore, they combed the house of a dentist named Dinesh. While he was not among the 19 participants, the Kerala Anti-Terror Squad had arrested him in February 2021. Incriminating documents, pen drive, simcard, bank passbook, and pamphlets were seized.

Several other places of Maoist sympathizers across the state were raided and incriminating evidences have been seized.

The team also raided 3 locations in Kerala and 5 in Karnataka to crack down on Maoist sympathizers.

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