Goa police asked to check if naxals using state as a shelter

In the wake of recent arrests of some naxal leaders here, the Goa government has asked the police to check whether naxals are using the state as a shelter to bide their time.

Chief Secretary Sanjay Srivastava said that Home Ministry has asked the police to submit a report verifying whether some of the ultras were using the state as a shelter.

The government's action came in the wake of recent arrest of Sambu Beck, a Maoiwadi Trushul Manch leader from Orissa, who was taking shelter in the state.

One of his accomplice was also arrested by Goa police from Mapusa town and handed over to Orissa police.

Srivastava said that home ministry "wants to know whether there are other similar groups working here and what action the police are taking to identify them."

Superintendent of Police Veenu Bansal, who headed the operation to nab Beck this week, said on Friday that the naxal leader was in the state as 'he wanted to lie low'.

Bansal said that Beck was also working in one of the industrial units in Goa and was hiding here for last one and half month before state police zeroed in on him.

State Chief Minister Digamber Kamat said on Saturday that steps are being taken by police to verify antecedents of all those people who migrate here from other states.

"I don't think that naxalites are trying to spread their roots in Goa. Their agitations are on various issues," he said.

First Published: May 08, 2010 17:33 IST