Chhattisgarh police arrest local BJP leader for supplying a tractor to Maoists in Dantewada

The SP said that the accused was under suspicion for the last six months as he was earlier found engaged in supplying goods and other items to Maoists.

Updated on: Jun 14, 2020, 15:41:24 IST

Hindustan Times, Raipur | By Ritesh Mishra

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The Chhattisgarh police arrested a local Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader along with another person in Dantewada district for allegedly helping Maoists of Bastar region.

Both the accused purchased the tractor from Geedam (Dantewada) and when on Saturday, Usendi was going to deliver it to Ajay Alami; he was arrested in Barsoor. (FILE PHOTO.)

According to the police, the vice-president of BJP in Dantewada district, Jagat Pujari along with one Ramesh Usendi was supplying goods and other items to the Maoists of Abujmaad. They were arrested on Saturday.

“The accused is a resident of Barsoor and is vice-president of the district unit of BJP. Ramesh Usendi was also arrested and the police have booked them under sections of the Chhattisgarh Jan Surakhsha Adhiniyam. More sections could be added during the course of investigation,” Superintendent of Police (SP), Dantewada, Abhishek Pallav told HT.

The SP further said that the accused was under suspicion for the last six months as he was earlier found engaged in supplying goods and other items to Maoists.

“Since Maoists are suffering from an acute crisis of ration during lockdown, they have decided to grow paddy in Abujmaad region. Subsequently, Maoists contacted Jagat Pujari and asked him to buy a tractor for them. The BJP leader told Maoists that he will not buy a tractor in his name because he will become the target of the police .A senior Maoist cadre, Ajay Alami, then told Pujari about Usendi, who will help him to buy the tractor and the tractor will be in Usendi’s name,” said the SP.

Both the accused purchased the tractor from Geedam (Dantewada) and when on Saturday, Usendi was going to deliver it to Ajay Alami; he was arrested in Barsoor.

“Usendi confessed that Pujari helped him in purchasing the tractor on the instruction of Maoist Ajay Alami and further investigation is going on,” said Pallav.

Meanwhile, district BJP President, Chaitram Attami speaking to Hindustan Times said that Pujari was appointed as district vice-president about five years ago.

“I don’t know the details of the case but action will be taken and a senior leader of BJP will convey it to him,” said Attami.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Ritesh Mishra
Ritesh Mishra is the State Correspondent for Chhattisgarh with Hindustan Times. He reports on Maoism, internal security, politics, mining, governance, and major developments shaping the state. Based in Raipur, he has covered Chhattisgarh since 2016, reporting extensively from the Bastar region and other conflict-affected areas. With nearly two decades of experience in journalism, Ritesh has built a reputation for ground reporting from some of India's most challenging terrains. His coverage spans Left-Wing Extremism, counter-insurgency operations, elections, tribal affairs, environmental issues, infrastructure, mining, and socio-economic developments. He has reported on major security operations, policy initiatives, wildlife crime, and the changing dynamics of conflict and development in Central India. Before moving to Chhattisgarh, Ritesh spent eight years reporting from Madhya Pradesh, covering politics, administration, crime, development, and social issues. Throughout his career, he has reported on various forms of extremism in Central India, combining field reporting with in-depth analysis to produce accurate, balanced, and impactful journalism. Prior to joining Hindustan Times, Ritesh worked with The Pioneer and The Free Press Journal, where he covered a wide range of beats and honed his skills in political, investigative, and field reporting. His reporting is marked by exclusive stories, extensive fieldwork, and a commitment to factual, on-the-ground journalism that brings complex issues to a wider audience.Read More

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