IN A major crackdown on overground workers, supporters and associates of Naxals, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Tuesday conducted searches at 14 locations across Jharkhand and Bihar in a conspiracy to expand, revive and propagate the ideology of the banned terrorist organisation.

The searches at eight locations in Jharkhand covered the Ranchi office of Visthapan Virodhi Jan Vikash Andolan ( VVJVA) and the houses of the associates and supporters of Naxals in Bokaro, Dhanbad, Ramgarh and Giridih districts. In Bihar, the searches were conducted at six locations in Khagaria, Gaya and Aurangabad districts. All the suspects whose houses were searched have links with Politburo and Central Committee members of Naxals, said the agency.

Incriminating documents relating to the activities of the banned outfit, along with several mobile phones, DVD discs, documents related to Majdoor Sangathan Samiti ( MSS ) and VVJVA, as well as bank account details, were seized during the searches.

The NIA registered the case on April 25 last year under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 and various sections of the Indian Penal Code against the Politburo and Central Committee members of Naxals, for hatching a conspiracy to spread the organisation’s ideology in these two States, as well as other Indian States, including Chhattisgarh.