THE JHARKHAND STORY NETWORK
Daltonganj, May 22: Palamu police have arrested a wanted Naxal, Gautam (35), a sub-zonal commander of the banned group Tritiya Sammelan Prastuti Committee (TSPC), from a private nursing home in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh. He was hiding under a fake name while receiving treatment for injuries.
Gautam has seven cases registered against him in several police stations across Palamu district. Despite his attempts to evade arrest, he was traced and caught, dealing a serious blow to the TSPC outfit.
Sources said that while the group hasn’t lost any major weapons, the arrest has left it rattled. Under the leadership of SP Reeshma Ramesan and ASP (Operations) Rakesh Singh, the Palamu police have had more successes than failures in recent operations, making their presence felt in Jharkhand.
Naxal Was Injured in Encounter, Treated Under Alias
The Additional Superintendent of Police (Ops) Rakesh Singh said, “This TSPC sub zonal commander Gautam, undergoing treatment for bullet injury in his stomach in a private nursing home in Varanasi, is now under the police custody of Jharkhand’s Palamu police on/ from Wednesday, May 21.”
“Palamu police are being assisted by the Varanasi police for this Naxal under police custody. It’s a joint vigil and protection of this Naxal by the Palamu and Varanasi police,” repeated the ASP Ops.
Gautam was brought down to Varanasi by road by his relatives, where on the intervening night of May 18/19 he was admitted to the private nursing home in Varanasi.
Gautam had a surgical procedure in Varanasi as a bullet had pierced his stomach, which bore the entry-exit wound and aperture.
ASP Ops said Gautam had worn a fake name for his treatment in the private nursing home.
Police Probe on How Naxal Was Moved Secretly
It’s not clear whether the private nursing home had tipped off the nearest police station in Varanasi about this man having fire arms injury in his stomach as it’s a very common practice of the hospitals- government or private here in Jharkhand to inform the nearest police station about patient having gunshot injury on his body.
ASP Ops Rakesh Singh said, “Gautam was hurt in an encounter with the police in Manatu on May 17.”
“We had right from the day of the encounter this gut feeling that Gautam would be in dire need of serious medical treatment,” added the ASP Ops.
“We were in touch with little over half a dozen districts about this Naxal. We finally got him in bed in a private nursing home in Varanasi,” ASP Ops said.
TSPC Leadership Helped Move Injured Naxal
Sources said the top of the TSPC, Shashikant, had arranged his transportation from Manatu to Varanasi.
Close relatives or aides of Gautam had helped this severely injured Naxal, transported to Varanasi, said sources.
Palamu police are most expected to fall upon such persons who have so helped in transporting Gautam so clandestinely.
Gautam is a declared Naxal and any help in anyway by anyone is an offence if the police are kept in dark about the help, as such help is construed as abetting to extremism. The offence comes under the 17 CLA Act.
Naxal Recovering, Jharkhand or UP Govt to Cover Medical Expenses
ASP Ops said, “Gautam is recovering. The doctors in Varanasi have described him ‘doing well medically’.”
“If and when Gautam is finally discharged or the doctors in the said private nursing home suggest this man to be shifted to the government hospital in Varanasi, like BHU hospital etc, then Palamu police and Varansi police will jointly carry out this shifting in the presence of the magistrate there,” reiterated the ASP Ops.
Sources said, “As from Wednesday, May 21, Gautam is under the Palamu police custody along with the Varansi police and hence his medical bills beginning from May 21 are to be borne by the Jharkhand’s Palamu police.”
ASP Ops commenting on this as to which state, Jharkhand or UP, will bear the medical expenses for this Naxal, said, “It will be looked into at the opportune time.”
“The ultra is on medication, and so his coming round is much more expected fast. Such issues of medical bills will be handled properly,” added the ASP Ops.
