It is all about a science teacher taking lessons in Maoism and subsequently turning into a major arms supplier to Naxal outfits operating in Bihar and Jharkhand.
Meet Rakesh Ranjan alias Prince, a teacher of physics at a coaching institute of the State Capital. Ranjan is very popular
among the students preparing for IIT and other engineering institutes as a science teacher.
But there is more than meets the eye. Ranjan’s father Arvind Jee, who was in-charge of the banned outfit’s Bihar and Jharkhand units about six years ago, carries a reward of Rs 5 lakh on his head.
Though Ranjan has managed to elude the long arm of the law, search of his house at People’s Cooperative Colony (Sector-F, Kankerbagh) led to seizure of three Insas rifles, 720 cartridges of 3.606 bore, 225 ammunition of 12 bore and 90 ammunition of 315 bore besides six vehicles, five beacon lights and 11 name plates of Income Tax Department.
“We have launched a frantic search for Ranjan, whose arrest will throw more light on the inter-state network of the Naxals,” said Patna Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Vineet Vinayak.
He said the police carried out raids on the coaching institute in Musallahpur area in East Patna but he could not be arrested. “Being a teacher of science, Ranjan knows how to prepare explosives in a short period,” said a senior police officer associated with the investigation.
He said it is for the first time, that Ranjan’s name has figured in the arms deal. The police were also looking for Mukesh and Ravi Mochi, said to be residents of Masaurhi, in connection with the arms racket. Sources said that Subodh Singh, the mastermind of the gunrunning operations, was closely associated with Arvind.
“Subodh, who was arrested from Ram Nagari area last week, had close links with Pawan Singh, a co-villager of Arvind Jee,” a police officer said, adding that Pawan, a resident of Shukulchak village under Karauna police outpost in Jehanabad district, had played an important role in the Jehanabad jailbreak in 2005.
Ajay Kanu was prominent among hardcore Naxal leaders freed during that operation.