Mumbai: The Bhandari community and cow vigilantes on Friday marched along the streets of Nalasopara to protest against the arrest of terror plot suspect Vaibhav Raut by the state Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS). Raut, 40, was arrested on August 10 from his house in Nalasopara (W) for criminal conspiracy and plans to carry out bomb blasts to disturb communal harmony ahead of Independence Day.
He is in police custody till Saturday. Around 200 protesters joined the march which began from Bhadarali village and culminated at the station. They raised slogans of ‘Vande Mataram’ and ‘Jai Shree Ram’ amidst heavy police bandobast.
The protesters said Raut, who belongs to the Bhandari community and is well-known in the village for his Hindutva principles, was falsely booked by the ATS.
The ATS has claimed to have seized explosives and arms and raw materials from Raut’s three-storey bungalow, where he lives in a joint family.
Searches have been conducted at his home and office. On Wednesday, the ATS had seized his vehicle, suspected to have been used to transport explosives.
A team of plain-clothed ATS officers have been keeping a watch in the village for the past few days. Palghar Police too conducted a march past on Thursday ahead of the protest.
Protesters wore t-shirts with Raut’s picture and demanded his release. Banners seeking his release too were carried by them. Raut, believed to be a sympathiser of the right-wing Hindu outfit Sanatan Sanstha, works as a real estate agent.
In a series of raids conducted statewide after the trio’s arrest, the ATS have seized 20 crude bombs, air pistols, eight country-made pistols and literature on how to make a bomb.