NIA Raids 12 Places in a Naxal Conspiracy Case

• 08 Apr 2024

Why in News?

In an anti-India conspiracy case, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) raided 12 places in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.

Key Points

• Of the total, 11 locations were searched in Ballia district of Uttar Pradesh and one location in Kaimur district of Bihar in connection with the case registered originally by Uttar Pradesh's Anti Terror Squad (ATS).
  • During the search operation, several digital devices, including mobile phones, SIM cards and memory cards, along with incriminating documents like pamphlets of the proscribed naxal outfit were seized.
• As per NIA's investigations so far, the banned outfit is making active efforts to re-energise its presence in the Northern Regional Bureau, comprising Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Delhi, Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh.

National Investigation Agency (NIA)

• The NIA is the Central Counter-Terrorism Law Enforcement Agency of India mandated to investigate all the offences affecting the sovereignty, security and integrity of India. It includes:
  • Friendly relations with foreign states.
  • Against atomic and nuclear facilities.
  • Smuggling of arms, drugs and fake Indian currency and infiltration from across the borders.
  • The offences under the statutory laws enacted to implement international treaties, agreements, conventions and resolutions of the United Nations, its agencies and other international organisations.
• It was constituted under the National Investigation Agency (NIA) Act, 2008.
• The agency is empowered to deal with the investigation of terror related crimes across states without special permission from the states under written proclamation from the Ministry of Home Affairs.
• Headquarters: New Delhi

Naxalism in India

• The term Naxalism derives its name from the village Naxalbari of West Bengal.
• It originated as rebellion against local landlords who bashed a peasant over a land dispute. The rebellion was initiated in 1967, with an objective of rightful redistribution of the land to working peasants under the leadership of Kanu Sanyal and Jagan Santhal.
• Started in West Bengal, the movement has spread across Eastern India; in less developed areas of states such as Chhattisgarh, Odisha and Andhra Pradesh.
• It is considered that Naxals support Maoist political sentiments and ideology.