Maharashtra ATS Captures Fugitive Naxal Operative in Raigad After Decade-Long Hunt

Mumbai, May 5, 2025: The Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) apprehended a 44-year-old man in Raigad district on Sunday, accusing him of ties to Naxalite groups, according to police sources. Identified as Prashant Jalinder Kamble, also known as “Laptop,” the suspect had been a fugitive since 2011 in connection with an “Urban Naxal” case, an ATS official stated.

Kamble, originally from Pune’s Tadiwala Road, previously worked repairing computers and laptops. He reportedly became associated with Kabir Kala Manch, a cultural group previously linked to Naxalism allegations, the official noted. For the past six to seven years, Kamble had been living discreetly in Raigad’s Khopoli area, where he taught tribal children, ATS officials said.

The 2011 First Information Report (FIR) also named Milind Teltumbde, a senior CPI (Maoist) leader killed in a 2023 encounter in Gadchiroli, and Angela Sontakke, a prominent Maoist figure. Authorities described Kamble as a committed follower of Naxalite ideology and a high-priority target. After evading capture since 2011, he was declared absconding, with a non-bailable warrant and court proclamation issued against him.

Acting on precise intelligence, the ATS’s Pune unit arrested Kamble in Khopoli. Following identity verification, he was formally detained and presented before a Mumbai court, which granted ATS custody until May 13, the official confirmed.