Margao blast: Goa Police arrest one Hindu right-winger

MARGAO - Police in Margao, Goa, have arrested a man with alleged links to a Hindu right-wing group ‘Sanatan Sanstha’ in connection with the recent blasts in the area in which two persons were killed.

The man, who is yet to be identified, was picked up from the outfit’s office by sleuths of Maharashtra’s Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) and Goa Police.

A search of the Sanstha office in Nesai near Margao town was conducted, police confirmed. They said the outfit was suspected to have links with 2008 Malegaon blast accused Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur.

In an attempt to crack the case quickly, the state government has formed a Special Investigating Team (SIT) to probe the blast in which the two dead were activists of the Sanstha.

Superintendent of Police Omprakash Kurtarkar will head the investigating team.

Police had earlier detained five members of the outfit which has recently come under the scanner of security agencies.

They included Virendra Marathe, manager of its Ashram at Ramnathi and Prithviraj Hazare, Group editor of the outfits publications. Another activist from outfit’s ashram at Sangli in Maharashtra was also picked up by Goa Police.

The two victims-Malgonda Patil and Yogesh Naik-were booked under various offences including waging a war against the state.

The Sanstha has denied the allegations of its involvement in the blast terming them as “baseless”.

As per preliminary information, police said that the people carrying the explosives were from Maharashtra.

“It appears to be that they are from outside the state. They appear to be from Maharashtra,” said Allen De Sa, Superintendent of Police of Goa.

The blast took place near the Grace Church in Margao, where a religious event was being held during which effigies of a mythical demon, Narkasur, were burnt to celebrate the victory of good over evil.

Police have reportedly linked the blast to a Hindu organisation named Sanatan Sanstha of Goa. (ANI)