New Delhi, Dec 27 Teams of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Friday searched several locations in remote villages of Chhattisgarh in connection with the CPI (Maoist) attack on a polling and security team during the Assembly elections in 2023, an official said.
The NIA in a statement said: "Searches were conducted at multiple locations belonging to 11 suspects in the villages of Rawandiggi, Semra, Mainpur, Ghoragaon, Kerabahra, and Gariyaband in the sensitive Maoist-infested areas of Gariyaband and Dhamtari districts. The suspects were believed to be over ground workers (OWGs) and supporters of the Mainpur-Nuapada division of the banned CPI (Maoist) terror outfit.
"Investigation has established that the Mainpur-Nuapada division was behind the IED blast that killed a Head Constable of ITBP ADHOC 615 Battalion in the attack on the polling team and security personnel returning from village Badegobra after polling during the Assembly elections in November last year."
It mentioned that the names of the suspects whose premises were searched on Friday had surfaced during the NIA investigation into the case.
"Naxal pamphlets/ booklets, mobile phones & digital devices, Rs 1.5 lakh in cash, along with other incriminating materials, were seized during the searches by the NIA, which has so far chargesheeted 10 accused in the case," the NIA statement read.
The NIA is India's specialised counter-terrorism law enforcement agency which is empowered to deal with the investigation into terror-related crimes across states.
It is empowered to investigate cases that involve threats to the country's sovereignty, security, and integrity.
The agency is also authorised to conduct searches, make seizures and arrests, and also collect evidence and maintain a database of terrorist organisations and their members.
It came into existence with the enactment of the National Investigation Agency Act 2008 by Parliament on December 31, 2008. The Act was passed after the 26/11 terror attacks that had left Mumbai -- the country's financial capital -- in tatters.
The NIA has its headquarters in Delhi, and it also has branches across many Indian cities, such as Hyderabad, Guwahati, Kochi, Lucknow, Mumbai, Kolkata, Raipur, Jammu, Chandigarh, Ranchi, Chennai and Imphal.
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