Bhagat Singh-inspired teacher pens a date with history

Kolkata/Bengaluru: He is allegedly the mastermind of the conspiracy behind the breach of security in Parliament on the 22nd anniversary of the terror attack. So, who is this person who enacted a real-life saga that sometimes tempts one to feel that it might have been inspired by the reels of Rang De Basanti.

The reason why this film reel resonates is because this mastermind is also said to be influenced by the revolutionary, Shaheed Bhagat Singh, as were the protagonists in the film.

Investigations revealed the name of this mastermind, Lalit Jha, a teacher, who, along with a few others, committed an act that would engrave their names in the history pages of post-colonial India. Jha is now at large, with the Delhi Police on the hunt.

According to sources, Jha lived in Barabazar, an area in central Kolkata. But he is said to be away for over a year. People living in the Burabazar area have told local news channels that they have seen Jha earlier.

The mystery behind Jha is still sheathed in layers of secrecy, and local sources and social media are peeling each layer to reveal some aspects which could provide leads.

Take the example of a revelation by a student from West Bengal who is involved in social service, Nilaksha Aich. On Thursday. Aich told the regional channel, ABP Ananda, that Jha had communicated with him around 1 pm on the day of the incident.

According to Aich, he was in college when Jha shared with him a video on WhatsApp of the stretch where colour gas was being released. He had asked Aich to watch the media coverage of the incident.

The student-activist claimed that he didn’t see the video properly, initially. Later, when Aich had asked Jha where the incident happened, he did not receive a response.

NGO collection

Aich said that he had met Jha at an event in central Kolkata in April, where he had gone to attend as a guest. Jha had told him that he stayed in the city, but did not share his location. Aich later approached Jha as he considered him suitable to become a member of his social organisation which looks into the education of tribals and other welfare activities.

Jha got associated with the organisation as a member and was even general secretary for a few months.

With pieces of information that the local media has, he has been unit president of the Samyabadi Subhas Sabha group, an NGO working on tribal education in West Bengal’s Purulia district. But it is not clear whether this is Aich’s organisation.

Lalit’s last location was traced in the Rajasthan-Haryana border’s Neemrana town which is 125 km from Delhi.

According to PTI, the security agencies have so far not found any terror link. It was the Bhagat Singh fan club page that had amalgamated the group, led by Jha. The other accused, identified as Sagar Sharma, Manoranjan D, Neelam Devi, Anmol Shinde and Vishal Sharma alias Vicky, all got in touch with one another on social media.

Sagar, Neelam, Manoranjan, Amol and Vishal are in custody, and are being questioned by the Delhi Police Special cell and other security agencies. The Delhi police have registered a case under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act against them.