Sagar Suraj
MOTIHARI: IN a joint operation of special task force (STF) and Motihari Police, Rita Singh, a 46-year-old woman from East Champaran district, has been arrested in Gaya for her alleged involvement with “Azad Hind Fauz”, a banned outfit.
Interestingly, despite carrying dozens of cases, she was a preacher for the Art of Living, a spiritual organization founded by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar. Rita Singh's story is quite complex - after her husband, Jitendra Singh, was killed in 2005, she joined Azad Hind Fauz to avenge his death. Her husband had criminal antecedents and was a popular Mukhia of Betauna Panchayat in Patahi.
It's worth noting that Rita Singh was considered a revered figure among prisoners, whom she would visit and preach to as part of the Art of Living program. However, she had been evading the police since 2011 and was carrying a bounty of Rs 50,000 on her head. The Azad Hind Fauz, a splinter group of CPI (Maoist), is known for its stronghold in the eastern part of the district and its involvement in illegal activities such as extortion from brick kilns, businessmen, and contractors.
The Superintendent of Police, Swarn Prabhat said, that Rita Singh had joined the Art of Living group to dodge the police. Her arrest is seen as a significant catch for the authorities.
Azad Hind Fauz initially took support of local landlords against naxals but later on it also joined in the same extortion, kidnapping, murder for which naxals were defamed. SP announced rewrard for all the team members involved in the arresting.
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