Former JU student and suspected ‘Maoist’ leader arrested

Her name allegedly cropped up during interrogation of two men involved in suspected Maoist activities

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TT Special Correspondent   |   Calcutta   |   31.03.22  : Former Jadavpur University student and suspected CPI (Maoist) leader Joyeeta Das was arrested on Tuesday by the special task force on charges of waging a war against the state.

Das, who had been associated with the Nandigram movement as a member of the Matangini Mahila Samity, was arrested from Jagulia in Barasat after her name allegedly cropped up during interrogation of two men involved in suspected Maoist activities at Nawada in Murshidabad district on March 24, the police said.

Das had been arrested earlier in 2013 and charged under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. 

The police said the case for which Das had been arrested dates back to an incident when documents and leaflets related to the banned outfit, were found in the Maidan area in Calcutta. Two persons named Hasibur Sheikh of Nawada and Pratik Bhowmik of Dhantala in Nadia were arrested recently in connection with that case, interrogating whom, Das’s name had emerged, an officer said.

Sheikh and Bhowmick are both activists of Sangrami Krishak Samity – which is a “proNaxal” organisation, the police said. Arms and ammunition were allegedly found on them. Das was allegedly active in spreading the ideology of the banned outfit in pockets of Nadia and Murshidabad districts, officers of the special task force said. 

She was produced in a city court on Wednesday and remanded in police custody.