Telugu poet Varavara Rao, Gadling arrested in 2016 Surjagarh mine arson case

Telugu poet Varavara Rao, accused of having Maoist links, and advocate Surendra Gadling were arrested in connection with the 2016 Surjagarh iron or mine arson case, Gadchiroli police said Friday. On December 25, 2016, at least 80 vehicles engaged in transporting iron from Surajgarh mines, in Etapalli tehsil of Gadchiroli, were torched by Naxals.

A senior official said Rao and Gadling were arrested from Pune on Wednesday and produced in Aheri court in Gadchiroli on Thursday. The two have been remanded in police custody till February 11, he added.

"We have evidence of the involvement of the two in this case," the official claimed. Rao and Gadling were earlier arrested last year in connection with the Elgar Parishad that took place in Pune on December 31 in 2017. Caste violence erupted the day after the event and police have charged the organisers with having Maoist links.

(With inputs from agencies.)