Karnataka Police SIT interrogates 5 accused arrested by ATS

@npnews24x7
Mumbai/Pune

Officials from the Karnataka Police SIT have reached Mumbai to interrogate five persons arrested by Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) for allegedly planning bomb blasts. ATS had arrested the accused persons based on a tip-off from Karnataka police.

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The Karnataka team wanted more details as some of the accused persons are connected with the murder of journalist-turned-activist Gauri Lankesh and rationalist MM Kalburgi. They questioned Vaibhav Raut, Sharad Kalaskar, Shrikant Pangarkar, Sachin Gondhalekar and Avinash Pawar.

ATS arrested Avinash Pawar from Ghatkopar’s Bhatwadi area on in connection with the explosives found in Nalasopara from Raut’s home and shop.

During the investigation, the person arrested recently was informed of the accused Avinash Pawar’s involvement in various programs of Sanatan. He was also in Sanatan Sanstha’s ashram in Goa and Panvel. It has also been revealed that Avinash was present in many programs of Sanatan Sanstha and other pro-Hindu organizations. A day after Avinash’s house was searched by ATS officials. After the death of his father, Avinash had got job on the compassionate ground at Mazgaon Dock.

The ATS which has arrested five persons so far is unraveling a right-wing terror network across the state and probing their links in other states including Uttar Pradesh and Assam.

Karnataka Police while investigating the Lankesh murder case arrested some persons including few from Maharashtra, and later informed the anti-terrorism squad (ATS), Mumbai, about some members of right-wing Hindu organizations of planning bomb blasts. Accordingly, ATS nabbed three persons including Sharad Kalaskar who told the ATS about his involvement in Dabholkar case, with help of Sachin Andhure of Aurangabad. On August 18, Andhure was arrested by the CBI after being informed by ATS.

Dabholkar (67), who was an anti-superstition activist and founder of Maharashtra Andhashraddha Nirmoolan Samiti (MANS), was on morning walk over bridge between Omkareshwar temple and Balgandharv Auditorium, when he was shot dead by two bike-borne men on August 20, 2013.