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After the Vishrambaug police seized posters demanding the release of arrested Naxalites, it has surfaced that two more such posters were seized from outside the Collector's Office.
Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) sources said they suspect six absconding Naxalites, including two couples, might be behind the putting up of these posters.
The posters were seized by the Vishrambaug and the Bundgarden police on Friday.
The posters, which were computer printouts with the name of Communist Party of India (Maoist) on them, called for a bandh in the state as well as four other states from March 21 to 23 and demanded the immediate release of arrested Naxalites from jail.
Two of the posters were found put up on the compound walls of two adjacent buildings -- the Pune Union of Working Journalists and of SM Joshi Foundation Auditorium -- on Friday.
"No complaint was registered in this connection, but the ATS is investigating the case," Senior Police Inspector Arjun Sakunde of the Vishrambag police station said.
In April last year, the ATS had arrested six persons, including former teacher Angela Sontakke, a key member of the Golden Corridor Committee and the wife of the Milind Teltumbde, secretary of Maharashtra State Committee of the CPI (M).
The police suspect their role in various explosions and firings on policemen in the state.
A close associate of Sontakke, Shradhha Gurav, was also arrested with Naxal literature, cell phones and Rs 4.55 lakh in cash.
Mayuri Bhagat alias Jeni (23), Jyoti Chorge (19) and Anuradha Sonule (23) were arrested with Rs 1.90 lakh in cash, Naxal literature, five phones, PAN cards and several SIM cards.
ATS sources said four more persons associated with Sontakke and two others managed to escape after the arrest of these six persons.
The four, who were residing in the city and surrounding areas and were last traced to Kasewadi, might be behind putting up the posters on the compound walls of these three buildings.
ATS said the two women married two other Naxal sympathisers while on the run.
"As the posters demanded the release of Naxals, we suspect that this could be the handiwork of those who managed to flee last April," an officer said on the condition of anonymity. "And since we are looking for these absconding persons, we are investigating who could be behind this act."
The Vishrambaug police suspect that the posters were meant to catch the attention of the audience at a function at the SM Joshi Foundation Auditorium on Saturday for which Nationalist Congress Party supremo Sharad Pawar was the chief guest.
The city police have been keeping a close watch on activities in some educational institutes and have approached institute heads with the information that some left-wing extremist organisations are trying to indoctrinate students.
CPI (Maoist) expansion plans
A Union Ministry of Home Affairs report submitted in the Lok Sabha says the CPI (Maoist) active in Gadchiroli, Gondia and Chandrapur districts of the state has plans to expand the movement to the district as well as Nagpur, Wardha, Bhandara, Mumbai, Nashik and Yavatmal districts. The Maoists have set up a Golden Corridor Committee to build its base in the industrial areas of the state and Gujarat. | 
