E-Paper
Sonbhadra under ATS lens for Naxal links after commander’s arrest
Tritiya Sammelan Prastuti Committee (TSPC) sub-zonal commander Umesh Singh alias Nagina alias Doctor., who carried a reward of ₹5 lakh on his head, was nabbed from the UP-Jharkhand border in Sonbhadra on September 24. He has since been in ATS custody for eight days, during which security agencies have been grilling him to gather intelligence on TSPC’s operations, links with other Maoist outfits, and possible hideouts of its cadres in Jharkhand and neighbouring states, officials said.
The Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) is re-evaluating the presence of Naxal “sympathisers” in Sonbhadra district -- earlier known for the menace -- following the recent arrest of a sub-zonal commander of the banned Maoist outfit Tritiya Sammelan Prastuti Committee (TSPC), Umesh Singh alias Nagina alias Doctor.
Nagina, who carried a reward of ₹5 lakh on his head, was nabbed from the UP-Jharkhand border in Sonbhadra on September 24. He has since been in ATS custody for eight days, during which security agencies have been grilling him to gather intelligence on TSPC’s operations, links with other Maoist outfits, and possible hideouts of its cadres in Jharkhand and neighbouring states, officials said.
Senior ATS officials confirmed that they were scrutinising potential links between local residents and Naxal sympathisers in Sonbhadra, where Nagina and TSPC chief Shashikant Ganjhu -- who carries a reward of ₹10 lakh -- were reportedly seeking refuge with relatives.
Officials said the entire TSPC cadre had gone into hiding following an encounter with security forces in Jharkhand’s Palamu district on September 3, while the duo moved to Sonbhadra to seek refuge.
Nagina was apprehended with firearms, including an SLR and an AK-47, which he and Shashikant were carrying. Both were involved in a skirmish with security forces in Palamu on September 3, they added.
According to ATS officials, Nagina and Shashikant had entered UP to seek shelter and were planning a major attack. “While Nagina was captured, Shashikant managed to escape,” they said. Further investigations were underway to trace Shashikant’s whereabouts and assess the extent of Naxalite influence in the region, they added.
Officials said the ATS was working closely with Jharkhand authorities to curb Naxalite activities and dismantle their networks.
Nagina, a resident of Jhalangi village under Dandai police station in Garhwa district of Jharkhand, is accused of carrying out several major Naxalite attacks in Palamu, Garhwa and Latehar districts. Always armed with an AK-47, he played a crucial role in strategising attacks for the TSPC.
