HYDERABAD, FEB 8   :    The National Investigation Agency (NIA) officials carried out searches at a few locations in Hyderabad on Thursday morning in connection with alleged links with Maoists.

The raids are learned to be conducted at the residence of the editor of a monthly vernacular magazine and Varavara Rao’s nephew, N. Venugopal, early in the morning in Himayatnagar.

In 2018, Varavara Rao, a revolutionary writer, poet, and activist, was arrested under the draconian Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), claiming his involvement in the Maoist plot to kill Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He was granted permanent bail in August 2022.
The raids were reportedly conducted based on information that he is connected with top CPI-Maoist leader Sanjoy Deepak Rao’s case.

Sanjay Deepak Rao was arrested in September 2023 by the Telangana police when he was taking shelter at a film editor’s residence in Kukatpally, Hyderabad.
Searches were also conducted at social activist Ravisharma’s house in LB Nagar over the same alleged connection.

During the raid, the NIA officials searched Venugopal’s collection of books, ranging from the Mahabharata to literary books, texts on Maoists, research material, letters, and journals, according to sources.  The NIA team seized Venugopal’s phone during the raid.

The officials have also seized Sharma’s mobile along with old literature and pamphlets, the sources added.(UNI)