NIA TO PROBE MAOISTS’ RECRUITMENT

Days after the National Investigation Agency (NIA) arrested three persons including two women for their alleged links with Maoists, in Hyderabad, the investigation officials suspect that a number of youngsters and students have been recruited into the outlawed outfit.

The NIA officials, who arrested the three in connection with a nursing student Radha’s missing/kidnap case, will question the accused by taking them into police custody suspecting that a number of youngsters have been recruited into the Communist Party of India (Maoist), according to sources.

The NIA said that three persons - Dubasi Swapna, Chukka Shilpa and Dongari Devendra who were arrested by the agency are still in its custody. The agency officials have reportedly collected information about the recruitment of youngsters from colleges, schools and other places into the CPI (Maoist).

It was reported that the nursing student Radha, a resident of Hyderabad, was attracted to radicalism by the Chaitanya Mahila Sangham (CMS) members and its leaders. The CMS members met a number of youngsters and students pursuing education in different institutions in Telangana.

During the lockdown in view of the Covid-19 pandemic, more recruitment activities took place as part of a drive and many youngsters showed interest to join banned Maoists, sources said.

The investigation agency and law enforcement agencies believed that the recruitment drive was taking place in rural hamlets in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, taking advantage of the situation during the lockdown. The main allegation against Devendra was that he played a key role in taking the recruited youth to dense forest to meet top leaders to join them in the party.