Pune police question Elgar Parishad organisers

Press Trust of India  |  Pune 

police, probing the alleged "Maoist link" to the Elgar Parishad held here in December last year, today questionned members of some organisations who were part of the organising committee of the event.

The Parishad was organised to commemorate 200 years of the Koregaon Bhima battle.

As per the FIR registered at station, some Kabir (KKM) activists had allegedly made provocative speeches at the event leading to violence at Bhima Koregaon in the district.

of Police (Swargate division) Shivaji Pawar said the police questionned members of various organisations in connection with the case registered at the station and their statements have been recorded.

Anjum Inamdar, whose Mulnivasi Muslim Manch was one of the organisers of the Parishad, said besides him, city unit of sangh M N Kamble, Bhim Army's Datta Pol, who was one of the organisers of the Parishad, Akash Sabale, Ashok Kamble, Jyoti jagtap, Ramesh Gaychor, and of the were summoned by the police today.

According to whose statement was recorded today, police inquired about the source of funding for the event.

had earlier claimed to have unearthed Maoist links to the parishad.

The police on June 6 arrested prominent activist from Mumbai, Surendra Gadling, activist and from Nagpur and Rona Wilson from for alleged naxal links in connection with the Parishad.

"While investigating the case registered at station, we conducted some searches at various places in the state. During the searches we found some evidence which was indicating that all those arrested had close links with the Maoists," of Police Ravindra Kadam had said.

The Parishad was attended by Gujarat MLA and Jignesh Mevani, JNU student Umar Khalid, Rohit Vemula's mother Radhika Vemula, and Mahasangh

Shaniwarwada, a historical fortification in the city, had remained the seat of the Peshwas of the Maratha empire until 1818.

The complaint against the members was lodged by one

The FIR was registered against Sudhir Dhawale, Sagar Gorkhe, Harshali Potdar, Ramesh Gaychor, and

The complaint had stated that the "inciting speeches and presentations" led to the violence. One person was killed in the caste violence between two groups near Sanaswadi, adjacent to Koregaon Bhima. The violence led to the statewide agitation.

The mobs had damaged and torched several vehicles and shops on and the houses of local residents were also ransacked.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

First Published: Wed, June 13 2018. 23:25 IST