Odisha police arrests Maoist interlocutor's son

07 December, 2012

Alleging that he was main source of supplies to Sabyasachi Panda and his group, Gajapati police on Wednesday last arrested Sangram Keshari Mohanty, son of Dandapani Mohanty, one of the Maoist interlocutors during the abduction of Malkangiri collector and two Italian tourists.

SPECIAL OPERATIONS group (SOG) personnel in plain clothes arrested Sangram Keshar Mohanty along with Kailash Mandal, reportedly a courier of Odisha Maovadi party secretary Sabyasachi Panda, at Kamalaput under Mohana block of Gajapati district at about 10.30 AM on Wednesday last.

Two MM pistols, 95 rounds of ammunition, Rs. 16, 000, Maoist campaign materials and dry food were recovered from Mohanty's possession, Gajapati Superintendent of Police C.S. Meena told the Press. Operation of security forces against the Sabyasachi Panda group continues in the Bhaliaguda Jungle and adjourning areas since the encounter on November 14 in which five Maoists were allegedly killed.

Panda and his group were facing dearth of arms, ammunition and food, sources have told this citizen journalist . Apart from the firearms, police believe that three transistors and batteries recovered from Mohanty's possession, were meant for Panda and his team, hiding somewhere in the forests.

Police claimed that Mohanty was the main source of supplies for Panda and his small group. "He also raises funds for Sabyasachi in Ganjam, Ganapati and Koandhamal district of Odisha," a police official said.

On the other hand, Dandapani Mohanty has alleged that police in civvies picked up his son Sangram Mohanty from Payal Tokies in Berhempur town. "Police claiming that he was arrested from Taptaoani Ghar along with arms and ammunition is completely false," Dandapani told a local TV station.

He said police have been targeting his family following the Baliguda encounter that took place in November, which he alleged was a staged gunbattle. Danpapani also lodged a complaint with the Baidanath Police in Berhempur alleging that his son Sangram had been kidnapped by a group suspected to be the policemen from the city on Wednesday at about 10.00 am, later shown to be arrested in Gajapati district.