MUMBAI: Two sevaks (followers) of Sanatan Sanstha, a religious group run by the revivalist Hindu Janjagruti Samiti, were arrested on Monday morning by the anti-terrorism squad (ATS) for their alleged role in planting bombs at theatres in Thane and Vashi. Seven persons were injured when a bomb went off in the parking lot of the Thane theatre on June 4.
The motive behind the blasts was to deter the producer of the farce, Amhi Pachpute, from staging the play. Both the theatres were staging the play. The Sanstha had earlier objected to the play, saying that Hindu mythological figures were being shown in poor light. Those arrested were Ramesh Hanumant Gadkari (50) and Mangesh Nikam (34). They were produced before the Mazgaon court and sent to police custody till June 24. While Gadkari stayed at Sanatan’s ashram at Devat near Panvel, Nikam belongs to Satara. Later in the evening, Abhay Vartak, Sanatan spokesperson, said that they had no knowledge of the duo’s activities and that they had done it on their own. “We condemn the blasts. There is no place for violence in our organisation.’’ “We have arrested the duo for their role in the blasts and have got documentary evidence to prove their involvement in the blasts. Gadkari had planted the bomb at Thane’s Gadkari Rangayatan hall in which seven persons were injured. The play, Amhi Pachpute was to be staged there on June 4 afternoon when the bomb went off,’’ said ATS Hemant Karkare said. He added that the police was looking for those who funded the bomb blasts and what was the source of this money. The police could not seize any thing from Gadkari’s room in the Ashram. “The office bearers of the Hindu Janjagruti Samiti had written to the Thane police commissioner protesting the play. They said that the Hindu God and Goddess were shown in poor light and that permission to stage the play should not be granted. Gadkari and his accomplices then decided to take revenge and planted bombs,’’ added Karkare. On May 31, the Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad (BDDS) difused a bomb found in a plastic carry bag at Vashi’s auditorium. It contained batteries, gelatin sticks, detonators and ammonium nitrate. The play Amhi Pachpute was to be staged here too. On February 20, a similar bomb was planted in at Panvel’s Cineraj cinema during the screening of Jodhha Akbar. The bomb created no more damage than a small fire cracker and went unnoticed till the end of the show. The ATS has indicated that more arrests are likely to follow in this case. “Gadkari and Nikam are full-time sevaks for Sanatan for the last three years. Their links with any terror outfit is yet to be established. Nikam taught Gadkari about bomb-making and one of the two bombs was manufactured within the premises of Sanatan Ashram,’’ said investigating officer B B Rathor. Nikam had provided a detonator and explosives to make the bomb. The police got the clues from the number of the motorcycle used by the bombers. The licence number was entered in the log book of the Thane theatre’s parking lot. “We have got evidence of their involvement and are looking for at least half a dozen accused in this case,’’ said Param Bir Singh, additional commissioner of ATS. The police, however, do not have the CCTV footage of Gadkari while parking the bike at Thane theatre since the CCTV was switched off between 1.30 pm to 4 pm on that day. The police, however, has got the log record of the bike that Gadkari had used. The bike was the property of Grukrupa Pratishthan, which runs the ashram.
