Sanatan Sanstha activist held by ATS, detonators found

In a major swoop, an activist of right-wing Hindu group, Sanatan Sanstha was picked from Nalasopara in Palghar district by the Maharashtra unit of Anti-Terrorism Squad, on Friday.

The activist’s house was raided by sleuths from where gunpowder and detonators have been recovered.

The seized material is being sent to the Forensic Science Laboratory in Mumbai.

The suspect is expected to be produced in the Boiwada court later in the day.

Press Trust of India citing unnamed officials reported that the accused was arrested and it was being confirmed whether the explosives include RDX.

This is not the first time, a Sanatan Sanstha activist has been picked up.

The role of Sanatan Sanstha activists have come to light in explosions in Vashi, Thane, Panvel (all in 2007) and Goa (in 2009).

People linked to Sanatan Sanstha were also probed for the sensational murders of murders rationalists- Narendra Dabholkar (2013), Communist leader Govind Pansare and writer MM Kalburgi (both in 2015) and journalist Gauri Lankesh (2017).

(With inputs of agencies)