Jharkhand journalist booked under anti-terror law

By Nityanand Shukla, Indo-Asian News Service

Ranchi, May 28 (IANS) Police in Jharkhand have arrested a journalist working
for a top Hindi daily under an anti-terrorist law for allegedly helping
Maoist guerrillas.

Nageshwar Sharma, a stringer of Hindustan from Rehla in Palamu district, was
arrested under the Prevention of Terrorism Act.

His arrest came after the police exchanged fire with members of the banned
People's War Group (PWG) at Rehla Sunday, killing rebel zone commander
Dhadhichi Rai and other three extremists. Sharma was arrested from the site
of the gunfight.

Said Palamu Superintendent of Police Anil Palta: "The reporter was
hobnobbing with the extremists. He was guilty of passing information to the
extremists. Sharma was also extorting money on behalf of the extremists."

Harinarayan Singh, the resident editor of Hindustan's Ranchi edition, said
PWG guerrillas had arranged a meeting at the site of the encounter and
Sharma had gone to cover the event.

"I will speak to senior police officials on this issue," Singh said.

About 125 suspected members of the PWG and the Maoist Communist Centre (MCC)
have been arrested in Jharkhand under the strict anti-terror law since
December.

--Indo-Asian News Service