UP ATS arrests couple with Naxal links

Lucknow, Oct 19 (IANS) The Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) arrested a couple for their alleged links in Naxal activities.

According to an official release, the couple was interrogated four years ago in 2019 on the suspicion of having Naxal links, but they were not arrested due to lack of evidence.

The ATS had sent electronic devices seized from their possession to a laboratory for examination.

After obtaining the FSL report on Wednesday, the ATS arrested Brijesh Kushwaha (43), a native of Deoria in Uttar Pradesh, and his wife Prabha (38), originally from Raipur, Chhattisgarh.

In July 2019, the ATS had conducted raids in Bhopal, Kanpur, Deoria and Kushinagar after lodging an FIR against eight persons on charges of waging or attempting to wage war against the government of India.

During the raids, ATS seized electronic devices and documents and arrested Manish Srivastava and Amit Srivastava.

“However, no evidence was found against the other five accused, including Brijesh and Prabha. Electronic devices seized from them during the raids were sent to the laboratory for examination and to collect data. This month, the report on electronic devices was received from the laboratory.

"Several letters allegedly belonging to different comrades attached to CPI (Maoist) were recovered from the electronic devices of Brijesh and Prabha. In the recovered letters, ‘anti-national activities’ were found to be mentioned,” said an officer.

The ATS also claimed to have recovered letters and literature linked to the banned People’s Liberation Guerilla Army (PLA), a Maoist outfit, from the electronic devices.

Brijesh, a postgraduate, came in contact with Prabha while doing a job in Chhattisgarh and they got married in 2010.