A 25-year-old school teacher has been arrested for allegedly being a Maoist supporter in Chhattisgarh’s Mohla-Mapnur-Ambagarh Chowki district, police said on Sunday, January 7, 2024.
Angered by the arrest, a group of villagers, including schoolchildren, have launched a protest in front of a police station here, demanding his release.
Ramlal Nureti was arrested from Karekatta village under the Madanwada police station limits on Saturday, an officer said.
The man was allegedly involved in putting up Maoist banners and posters in the area in September last year, he said.
The accused, a resident of Mahka village under Sitagaon police station area, works as a guest teacher appointed on a contractual basis at the government primary school in Karekatta village.
Investigations revealed Mr. Nureti’s involvement in the act and police personnel kept an eye on him, the officer said.
During questioning, Mr. Nureti tried to “mislead the police but later admitted to putting up Maoist posters and banners”, he said.
Roads blocked
Meanwhile, villagers sat on dharna in front of the Sitagaon police station, demanding his release.
“We will continue our demonstration till Mr. Nureti is released. He was arrested from the school without any investigation. He is a school teacher, not a Naxalite,” a protester told reporters.
Schoolchildren joined the agitation on Sunday, and protesters blocked the Manpur-Aundhi and Madanwada-Sitagaon roads using tractors. A large number of police personnel have been deployed at the protest site.
