The Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) has conducted fresh raids across the state and neighbouring Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat and picked up at least two more Hindu activists, including a woman, for questioning in connection with the Malegaon and Modasa bomb blasts last month as links emerged between the Sangh Parivar and a retired army Major who is also being questioned for his suspected role. The ex-Army officer is said to have once headed a BJP ex-servicemen cell in Mumbai.

While sources said that the woman who had been picked up for questioning was suspected to be a member of the Durga Vahini organisation in Madhya Pradesh, the state’s police chief S K Raut said that a man named Sameer Kulkarni had also been picked up by the ATS on Saturday night. He said Kulkarni was suspected to have been a member of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) and is believed to have organised an exhibition against terrorism at Gandhi Bhavan in Bhopal a few months ago.

Kulkarni is also believed to be linked to a Pune-based voluntary organisation called ‘Abhinav Bharat’, Raut added. The working president of Abhinav Bharat, retired Major Ramesh Upadhyay, is already being questioned by the ATS for his suspected links with Sadhvi Pragyasingh Thakur and two other Hindu activists, arrested last week in connection with the September 29 twin-blasts, which together killed six Muslims during Ramzan. According to the website of Abhinav Bharat, the outfit was formed in June 2006 with the aim of combating terrorism and rebuilding the nation around Bharatiya and Hindu culture.

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