NIA conducts searches in residence in Panihati area of North 24 Parganas district over suspected Maoist links

North 24 Parganas (West Bengal) [India], October 1 (ANI): The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Tuesday conducted searches at a residence in Panihati area of North 24 Parganas district on suspicion of links to a Maoist organization.

Four members of the authorities along with central forces raided the house of a woman in Pallishree area under Ward No 31 of Panihati Municipality early on Tuesday morning.

NIA officials conducted searches inside the house. The entire area was surrounded by the police of Ghola police station and the jawans of central forces.

As per the NIA, the woman and her husband are allegedly known to be associated with Maoist organizations. The NIA officials entered the house and asked the woman to cooperate in the investigation after showing her the legal documents.

An inquiry and search operation is being carried on simultaneously in Asansol and Panihati areas of the state today in this investigation.

Earlier on September 29, the NIA conducted searches across the Amabeda area of district North Bastar in the Kaker region of Chhattisgarh in connection with the brutal killing of an Indian Army personnel by terrorists of the banned CPI (Maoist), the agency said in a release.

Several locations belonging to 11 suspects were extensively searched by NIA teams during the crackdown in villages Useli, Gumjhir, Badetevda, Umarkumta, and Amabeda.

During searches, air guns, mobile phones, printers, laptops, hard discs, DVRs, motorcycles, incriminating naxal documents, and Rs 66,500 in cash have been seized, the NIA said.

During the NIA investigation, names of CPI (Maoist) supporters/OGWs suspected to have been involved in the heinous crime came to light, leading to the searches.

NIA, which took over the case from the local police in March this year, is continuing with its investigation and has intensified its efforts to dismantle the Maoist ecosystem in the region, the agency added.