NAGPUR: Dr Pawankumar Uikey, in-charge of Kamalapur primary health centre (PHC) in Aheri taluka of south Gadchiroli, an ambulance driver Praful Bat, and his cousin Anil Bat were arrested for their alleged role behind erecting a banner of Maoists on Kamalapur-Damrancha Road in the wee hours of Thursday.
Dr Uikey has been posted at Kamalapur PHC for the last four years. As per police sources, he had some meetings with senior Maoist cadres too. Police have seized laptops, iPhones, pen drives etc from his possession.
As per preliminary information, Dr Uikey acted as ‘logistics provider’ and ‘informer’ of the Maoists.
The security forces have also received information about Dr Uikey supplying medicines to the Maoists and also treating ailing cadres. The ambulance of the PHC was learnt to be used by the Maoists too, but details are yet to be confirmed.
The banned Communist Party of India (Maoist) observes ‘martyrs week’ between July 28 and August 3 to commemorate the sacrifices of their leaders. During this week, Maoist cadres and their supporters erect banners hailing the rebel leadership, highlighting their sacrifices and appealing to masses to join the movement and also to incite sentiments against government.
According to a senior official, police party from Repanpalli post had launched area domination operations to keep vigil on some places where the Maoists and supporters are known to erect banners. Dr Uikey and two of his accomplices were spotted erecting a banner when cops zeroed down upon them.
DIG, Naxal Range, Sandip Patil, also heading the state Anti-Naxal Operations (ANO) cell, said the doctor seemed to have come under the influence of the Maoist leadership. “The doctor had links with senior rebel cadres whom he might have met in the past. We are trying to get details of those meetings,” said Patil.
SP Ankit Goyal said the doctor and his two accomplices were produced before a court, which has remanded them in custody till August 8. “We will interrogate the doctor to unearth his links with the Maoists,” he said. “The banner which the trio had in their possession was found to have anti-government and pro-Maoist slogans,” said the SP.
