Activist arrested over "plot to kill Modi"

Pune police carried extensive raids across the country on Tuesday and arrested Hyderabad-based activist and poet Varavara Rao, alleging that he had involvement in a "Maoist plan" to assassinate Prime Minister Modi. The move was met with severe criticism from Rao's family members, as told to the News Minute.   

Not just Rao, but other activists were also picked up from other places across the country - activists Arun Fereira and Vernon Gonsalves were arrested from Thane and Mumbai; human rights lawyer Sudha Bharadwaj was picked up from her home in Faridabad; Father Stan Swamy in Ranchi and Kranti from Telangana were also raided - purportedly on charges of instigating violence during Bhima Koregaon rally in January earlier this year that saw clashes and violence between Dalits and Maratha Upper Class. 

The move to arrest the activists has been slammed as being unjust and intimidating by many including author Arundhati Roy.