The Bastar police, probing the killing of sub-inspector Vivek Shukla and four policemen by Maoists, are facing pressure to go slow on the investigation, reliable sources told The Hindu .
After the arrested Maoist leader Kosa spilled the beans about the February 28 ambush, Virendra Pratap Singh alias Gulati, who works as a headmaster at a school in Katepal village, was arrested.
“Two more suspects from Dantewada are under the scanner, including son of a road contractor from Nakulnar. But the police are facing the heat because all the three including Gulati belong to the Thakur community and the Thakur lobby is trying to mount pressure on the Bastar police,” a police source said.
According to some sources, a senior Thakur leader close to the ruling dispensation in Chhattisgarh personally called the police officers and asked them to “go slow” in the probe.
When contacted, Bastar Inspector-General S.R. Kalluri, however, refused to speak about any pressure.
“We have arrested Gulati based on Kosa’s inputs. Some more people may be arrested in this case,” he said.
Kosa has told the police that Gulati was present at the two meetings organised by the Maoists in Tikanpal forest on February 24 and 25 where the conspiracy was hatched.
“Gulati had informed Maoist leader Surinder about Shukla and his team’s movement on the fateful day,” said a police source.
