Staff Reporter ;

 

The Anti-Naxal Operation (ANO) officials are investigating Maoist connection of Jagdish Shriram Uikey, who was arrested for his alarming emails threatening bomb attacks at 31 locations, including planes, airports, and railway stations. The ANO is investigating Uikey’s potential connections with Maoist organisations. He was even quizzed by ANO officials in this regard, officials privy to the investigation informed on Sunday. For the past two days, ANO and police from Gadchiroli have been conducting thorough interrogations of Uikey, although they are yet to obtain any concrete information.

 

Uikey’s threatening emails, which he sent to various airlines, State officials, and police, claimed that terrorist groups Jaish-e-Mohammed and SJF would carry out attacks before Diwali which resulted in widespread panic and financial losses estimated at over Rs 600 crore for airline companies. Meanwhile, the police produced Uikey in the court and he was remanded to police custody till Tuesday. The police are likely to search his houses in Arjuni Morgaon and Gondia where his mother and sister are living, officials said. In light of Uikey’s arrest, officials from the National Investigation Agency (NIA), Intelligence Bureau (IB), and Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) have also arrived in Nagpur to conduct thorough investigations. They are exploring how Uikey acquired the knowledge to create the bomb hoax.