Magsaysay awardee questions arrest of Seema Azad for involvement with Maoists

Eminent social worker and Magsaysay award winner Sandeep Pandey today questioned the arrest of Seema Azad, a city-based civil rights activist, for suspected Maoist involvement.

"I am sure that Seema is innocent. She is paying the price for her relentless crusade against local mafia. I am not very sure about the other people arrested last week for suspected Maoist links but I would not be surprised if it turns out that they too had been framed by police", Pandey told reporters after visiting Azad's residence where he met her father and assured him of all possible help.

"Everybody knows the working of the state police. They can target anyone who raises voice against the government. I have been told that Seema had been writing against sand mafia and land mafia here", Pandey said.

Azad and her husband Vishwavijay were arrested on February 6 by the Special Task Force of Uttar Pradesh police, which claimed it had intelligence inputs regarding the couple's involvement with Maoist insurgents.

The arrests had also drawn strong criticism from the People's Union for Civil Liberties with which Azad was associated with and held the post of organizing secretary for its UP chapter.