Right-wing terror: NIA hunts for 2 major ‘links’

With bomb planters such as Rajendra Pehelwan alias Samandar and Manohar in custody, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) is currently hot on the trail of two key fugitives, Sandeep Dange and Ramji Kalsangra, who may help investigators unmask patrons of the right-wing terror plot.

With bomb planters such as Rajendra Pehelwan alias Samandar and Manohar in custody, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) is currently hot on the trail of two key fugitives, Sandeep Dange and Ramji Kalsangra, who may help investigators unmask patrons of the right-wing terror plot.

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“More than a month ago, Dange was seen moving along the Indo-Nepal border in Bihar while Kalsangra was believed to be hiding in Vidarbha, Maharashtra. He was last seen in Ramtek. The NIA teams missed both of them by a whisker,” said a source.

According to investigators, 40-year-old Dange studied engineering before becoming the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) nagar pracharak of Indore. However, he was expelled from the RSS later.

The second key fugitive, Ramji Kalsangra, 41, had an electrical shop in Indore. He used his skills as an electrician to fabricate almost all bombs used by the right-wing terror group. The group was led by former RSS pracharak Sunil Joshi, who was killed by his own men in December 2007.

Kalsangra is a Patidar by caste. “He helped at least 50 Patidar youths from the nearby area by training them as electricians, and then assisting them in setting up their own shops. Both have Rs. 10-lakh bounties on their heads,” the source added.

Investigators believe that Dange, Joshi and Kalsangra formed the core group of right-wing extremists who bombed places frequented by Muslims between 2004 and 2008. They also bridged the gap between patrons and ideologues such as Swami Aseemanand with foot soldiers like Samandar.

The NIA believes that Dange and Kalsangra are the only remaining links that can lead them to right-wing terror patrons.