Man held by ATS ‘Mechanic’ in diary of key suspect, finds probe
Gauri Lankesh murder case
Bengaluru : Automobile mechanic Vasudev Suryavanshi, 29, who was arrested on Sunday by Maharashtra ATS for alleged links with a radical Hindutva group involved in the accumulation of illegal arms, has been identified as an individual referred to as “Mechanic’’ in the diary of a key suspect in the murder of journalist Gauri Lankesh.
Sources in the Karnataka Police SIT probing the murder case said an automobile mechanic arrested by the ATS has been identified as “Mechanic’’ in the diary of Amol Kale, alleged to be a key leader of a secretive Hindutva group with links to right-wing Hindu Janajagruti Samiti. He has been identified as one of dozens of youths who received training in using guns at camps in Karnataka and Maharashtra and was involved in activities of the group, the sources said.
“Mechanic’’ has been described by other suspects as being adept at stealing motorcycles and authorities are investigating if Suryavanshi was used in any way by the covert group for murders of rationalist Narendra Dabholkar, Leftist thinker Govind Pansare, Kannada scholar M M Kalburgi and Lankesh, said sources.
References in the diary of Kale, who was arrested in May, and the investigation of persons allegedly involved in providing arms training for the group suggest that one “Mechanic’’ attended an arms training camp conducted by the group around three years ago. The ATS arrested Suryavanshi from Jalgaon as part of its investigation into an alleged terror plot by right-wing outfits.
A diary maintained by Kale, a former HJS convenor from Pune, has been a key guide for the SIT in unraveling the criminal activities of the covert right-wing group. In the course of its investigation into Lankesh’s murder, the SIT has found that Kale gave members of the group nicknames to protect their real identities, sources said.
“Once we are sure that a youth is suited to be a part of our activities we provide them with a mobile phone to be used for exclusive communication with us and we designate a code name for the youth,’’ Sujeet Kumar, 38, a former HJS activist and a recruiter for the covert group, told the SIT after his arrest in May.
courtesy : indianexpress.com
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Party over: Goa cracks down on illegal nightclubs ahead of festive season
Panaji (PTI): Goa’s nightlife faces a crackdown ahead of the Christmas and New Year season, with the state government launching an intensive drive to inspect and seal the establishments flouting norms after a deadly nightclub fire claimed 25 lives.
As the state, famous for its scenic beaches, gears up for its busiest fortnight spanning Christmas and New Year, the crackdown has already forced some nightclubs to shut, while the fate of others hangs in the balance.
A team of personnel from the district administration, fire and emergency services and police have been inspecting all the nightclubs in the North Goa tourism belt, officials said on Sunday.
The drive began after the fire incident at Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub at Arpora in North Goa on December 6 left 25 persons dead.
ALSO READ: Having Messi is a golden moment for Mumbai and India: Tendulkar
"We are inspecting all the nightclubs, checking their licences and permissions. Any club found to be violating the norms is sealed," government officer Kabir Shirgaonkar, who is heading the inspection team, told PTI.
The team has the power to seal a club flouting norms immediately, another official said.
So far, the team has sealed two prominent nightclubs - Goya Club and Cafe CO2 Goa - both located at Vagator. Cafe CO2 Goa was situated on a cliff overlooking the Arabian Sea in North Goa.
Shirgaonkar said that Goya Club was built on agricultural land, while Cafe CO2 Goa did not have the No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the Fire and Emergency Services Department and lacked structural stability.
The Fire and Emergency Services Department has also ordered revocation of the NOC granted to Diaz Pool Club and Bar at Anjuna in North Goa, another official said.
A surprise inspection was conducted at the premises on Saturday, during which it was observed that the existing fire prevention and safety arrangements installed there were inadequate and required upgradation, as per the order issued by Divisional Fire Officer Shripad Gawas.
