The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Hunt launched for Raghu

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Oct 12, 2006
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Hunt launched for Raghu

K.T. Sangameswaran

Wanted in connection with weapons seizure case

CHENNAI: A month after the seizure of empty rocket shells and launchers in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh, police believe that Raghu alias Srinivasa Reddy of Nellore, wanted in connection with the case,could have escaped into the forests.

The Andhra Pradesh police have launched a hunt for Raghu, a member of a naxalite group. The "Q" Branch of the Tamil Nadu police is coordinating with the Andhra Pradesh police in the search for Raghu.

It has come to light that Raghu had opened a bank account at Mogappair after being introduced by the owners of a couple of engineering units, which produced the illegal weaponry, a police officer told The Hindu .

Raghu, along with Sudharani, also a naxalite, escaped on a motorcycle on September 9, two days after the Andhra Pradesh police seized rocket launchers and spares in Achambedu police station limits in Mehboobnagar district. The weapons were found packed in gunny bags.

The officer said that the number of the two-wheeler, registered in Tamil Nadu, was known, and it is suspected that the fleeing couple had abandoned the vehicle on their way.

Though the police obtained the cell phone number of Raghu, he switched off his phone once the police started hunting for him.

Five days after his escape, he used it once from Gulbarga. His subsequent whereabouts are not known.

"It is likely he has escaped into the forests, as a month has passed, " the officer said.

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