4 suspected Naxals held in Dombivli

Four suspected Naxals, including two women and a senior citizen, have been arrested from Dombivli.

On Thursday, the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) along with the Andhra Pradesh police in a joint operation arrested Dinesh Wankhede, 30, Suman Gawde, 40, Paru Patel, 40, and Asimkumar Bhattacharya, 65.

Additional director general of police, ATS, Rakesh Maria said interrogations revealed that the four persons were associated with CPI Maoist.

The group is allegedly part of a newly formed technical committee whose job is to facilitate medical treatment and procure equipment for the cadre “on the field”.

“Wankhede, Gawde and Patel were from armed naxal group of Korchi dalam in Gadchiroli district,” Maria said, adding that Bhattacharya had provided them shelter in Dombivli.

The police have seized Rs23 lakh, a laptop, a printer, a pen drive, a few items that could be used in the making of indigenous weapons, incriminating literature, driving licences, leave and license agreement and other documents from them.

“Wankhede was wanted by the Kurada police in Gadchiroli in a firing case on a police team in 2007. An Arms Act case was also registered against him by the Nagpur city police in 2005. We have handed them over to the Gadchiroli police for further investigations,” said Maria.