Koregaon-Bhima riots: raids on at multiple locations

In a major swoop, the Maharashtra Police on Tuesday carried out raids in Pune and Nagpur - in connection with the Elgaar Parishad meeting held a couple of days before the January 1 Koregaon-Bhima riots.

The Pune Police is carrying out a search operation at the residence of advocate Surendra Gadling in Nagpur.

He is a prominent lawyer who has appeared in courts for several suspected Maoists. The Pune Police also raided the residences of two activists of Kabir Kala Manch.

There was no official confirmation of the raids. However, heightened security arrangements were seen outside the premises that were searched.

"It's a diversion to avoid the arrest of Sambhaji Bhide alias Guruji who had fuelled the riots. While police had arrested Milind Elbote, it has not arrested Bhide Guruji," said Bharipa Bahujan Mahasangh founder-president Prakash Ambedkar, the grandson of late Dr B R Ambedkar.

The Elgaar Parishad held at Shanivarwada in Pune on December 29 was attended by Jignesh Mewani and Omar Khalid.

Right-wing activists have blamed the Elgaar Parishad for the January 1 violence in which one person died and several were left injured.