Raipur: In a significant breakthrough, the Special Investigation Agency (SIA) of Chhattisgarh arrested a Maoist couple from Raipur, exposing a potential urban network of Naxalite operatives operating under the guise of medical treatment.
The duo, identified as Jaggu alias Ramesh Kursam (28) and his wife Kamala (27), police apprehended them from Changorabhata in the DD Nagar police station area after they reportedly stayed in the capital for several days.
Police sources said that Jaggu, a resident of Bijapur’s Gangaloor region, came to Raipur for kidney stone treatment and received care at Ambedkar Hospital.
Acting on intelligence inputs, the SIA conducted a covert operation and detained both individuals. Authorities initially kept the arrest confidential, given the sensitivity of the case and its potential implications for security in the capital.
Investigators found that the couple rented a house in DD Nagar using a fake Aadhaar card. Jaggu previously worked as a guard and driver in government officers’ homes, raising concerns about possible surveillance or reconnaissance activities.
During the raid, police recovered crucial documents, mobile phones, and electronic items from their residence.
Authorities sent Kamala to judicial custody, while Jaggu remains in police remand for further interrogation.
The SIA now actively probes the extent of the Maoist urban network, suspecting that other operatives may hide in Raipur.
Given that the city houses several ministers, bureaucrats, and political figures, authorities are seriously examining the possibility of Maoists conducting surveillance under the pretext of medical treatment.
The arrests come amid growing pressure on Naxalites in Bastar, where intensified security operations forced many to flee.
Sick cadres, in particular, seek refuge in urban areas for medical aid, inadvertently exposing themselves to law enforcement.
Police officials confirmed that the investigation is ongoing and are tracing all links connected to the arrested couple.
The case raised alarms about the evolving tactics of Maoist groups and their infiltration into urban centres, prompting authorities to renew focus on internal security measures in Raipur.
–IANS
