Purulia arms drop
On the night of 17th december 1995, an Latvian aircraft(Antonov An-26) dropped a large consignment of arms using parachutes (including thousands of AK-47s and millions of rounds of ammunition) in Purulia district in WB. The aircraft that had taken off from Varanasi, then proceeded to Kolkata before landing in Phuket, Thailand. Five days later, on Dec 22 1995, it breached Indian airspace again on its way to Karachi It was ordered to land in Mumbai where 6 men including a Peter Bleach were arrested and one, a Kim Davy, escaped.
Fuel for controversy:
1) Two months prior to the incident, the British secret service tipped the Indian government (then under Mr. PV. Narasimha Rao) of such an operation for which the latter's reaction was to pass on the information to the WB government through a registered post (the slowest means of communication then). Inaction or conspiracy? Was the congress trying to destablise the communist government which had been in power in WB for over 17 years then, on the eve of 1996 assembly elections ?
2) The drop happened in one Purulia district which happens to be the headquarters of the so-called socio-spiritual organisation Ananda marg. Ever since its inception, the organisation had had a tumultuous relationship with the ruling communist part. Cadres from the marg and Comrades from the CPI(M) were involved in numerous clashes which innumerous deaths. CPI had termed the marg a terrorist group while the latter called the former corrupt and anti-development. It also said that the CPI found loads of arms in and around the marg's headquarters before the Purulia drop. Coincidence or conspiracy? Was the marg trying to discredit the communist rule.
3) Kim Davy, the main accused, disappeared from the Mumbai airport myteriously, flew to Denmark and there, becomes a media celebrity. He also claims that the central government and RAW were co-conspirators.
4) In 2004, Mr. Bleach is released from Kolkata prison after Britain and Russia pushed for his freedom.
Theories:
1) Congress did it to destablise Jyoti Basu's government just ahead of the state elections.
2) Ananda Marg did it to discredit communists. Tit for tat.
3) BJP were aware of Bleach's involvement, but still freed him. What's brewing?
4) It was the work of Bangladeshi insurgents who wanted to take on the Bangladeshi army.
5) The operation was ordered by the Bangladesh army to procure weapons to suppress the insurgents.
Status of the investigation:
CBI investigated the issue and arrested a Acharya Thatbanand Avadhoot of Ananda marg in 2004. He was named co-conspirator while Kim Davy was identified as the mastermind. They also found that Davy had strong links with Ananda Marg. Since then, Kim Davy has claimed that the arms drop was conducted with the agreement of Indian government and RAW. India has been in a battle with Denmark to extradite Davy, but has been successful so far. They came close to an agreement in 2008 which guaranteed no death for Davy and whatever time is given to him, he will serve it in a Danish prison.
My theory:
I personally believe that this is a conspiracy hatched by Ananda Marg to destablise Jyoti basu's government. Tatbhanand Avadhoot and Marg sympathiser Kim Davy were tasked with this. Bleach and others are hired to be scapegoats. The congress government reeks of inaction and negligence. CPI retains WB. Congress is ousted at the centre by BJP-JD alliance.
Chronology of events:
September 1995: Kim Davy, a mercenary, reaches out to an arms dealer, Mr.Bleach.
October 1995: Bleach smells foul play and reports to British secret service who pass on the information to Indian government.
December 10, 1995: Bleach reaches Bulgaria to carry out the assignment.
December 11 - 16, 1995: Events unclear. Some reports claim the men stayed in Karachi during this time, while other claims that they were in Anandanagar in Purulia.
December 17, 1995: The aircraft lands in Varanasi. Stays on the tarmac for about seven hours. Refuels. After dark, the aircraft takes off to kolkata. On its way, it diverts from the flight plans and drops the arms in Purulia. It lands in Kolkata and then proceeds to Phuket in Thailand.
December 17-21, 1995: The crew stays in Phuket.
December 22, 1995: The aircraft takes off to Karachi and makes a forced landing in Mumbai. Bleach and five others arrested. Davy disappears mysteriously.
Jan 1996: The registered post arrives after the operation.
1997: An investigation confirms Marg's involvement.
2000: Bleach and crew slapped with life imprisonment, but soon the 5 member crew is released on Putin's request.
2002: Efforts to extradite Davy begins.
2004: Bleach pardoned by president on Blair's request. Acharya Tatbhanand Avadhoot arrested.
2007: Tatbhanand Avadhoot conditional bail after being diagnosed with cancer
2008-2014: Efforts to extradite Davy continues.
#IndiasBiggestMysterySinceIndependence
Fuel for controversy:
1) Two months prior to the incident, the British secret service tipped the Indian government (then under Mr. PV. Narasimha Rao) of such an operation for which the latter's reaction was to pass on the information to the WB government through a registered post (the slowest means of communication then). Inaction or conspiracy? Was the congress trying to destablise the communist government which had been in power in WB for over 17 years then, on the eve of 1996 assembly elections ?
2) The drop happened in one Purulia district which happens to be the headquarters of the so-called socio-spiritual organisation Ananda marg. Ever since its inception, the organisation had had a tumultuous relationship with the ruling communist part. Cadres from the marg and Comrades from the CPI(M) were involved in numerous clashes which innumerous deaths. CPI had termed the marg a terrorist group while the latter called the former corrupt and anti-development. It also said that the CPI found loads of arms in and around the marg's headquarters before the Purulia drop. Coincidence or conspiracy? Was the marg trying to discredit the communist rule.
3) Kim Davy, the main accused, disappeared from the Mumbai airport myteriously, flew to Denmark and there, becomes a media celebrity. He also claims that the central government and RAW were co-conspirators.
4) In 2004, Mr. Bleach is released from Kolkata prison after Britain and Russia pushed for his freedom.
Theories:
1) Congress did it to destablise Jyoti Basu's government just ahead of the state elections.
2) Ananda Marg did it to discredit communists. Tit for tat.
3) BJP were aware of Bleach's involvement, but still freed him. What's brewing?
4) It was the work of Bangladeshi insurgents who wanted to take on the Bangladeshi army.
5) The operation was ordered by the Bangladesh army to procure weapons to suppress the insurgents.
Status of the investigation:
CBI investigated the issue and arrested a Acharya Thatbanand Avadhoot of Ananda marg in 2004. He was named co-conspirator while Kim Davy was identified as the mastermind. They also found that Davy had strong links with Ananda Marg. Since then, Kim Davy has claimed that the arms drop was conducted with the agreement of Indian government and RAW. India has been in a battle with Denmark to extradite Davy, but has been successful so far. They came close to an agreement in 2008 which guaranteed no death for Davy and whatever time is given to him, he will serve it in a Danish prison.
My theory:
I personally believe that this is a conspiracy hatched by Ananda Marg to destablise Jyoti basu's government. Tatbhanand Avadhoot and Marg sympathiser Kim Davy were tasked with this. Bleach and others are hired to be scapegoats. The congress government reeks of inaction and negligence. CPI retains WB. Congress is ousted at the centre by BJP-JD alliance.
Chronology of events:
September 1995: Kim Davy, a mercenary, reaches out to an arms dealer, Mr.Bleach.
October 1995: Bleach smells foul play and reports to British secret service who pass on the information to Indian government.
December 10, 1995: Bleach reaches Bulgaria to carry out the assignment.
December 11 - 16, 1995: Events unclear. Some reports claim the men stayed in Karachi during this time, while other claims that they were in Anandanagar in Purulia.
December 17, 1995: The aircraft lands in Varanasi. Stays on the tarmac for about seven hours. Refuels. After dark, the aircraft takes off to kolkata. On its way, it diverts from the flight plans and drops the arms in Purulia. It lands in Kolkata and then proceeds to Phuket in Thailand.
December 17-21, 1995: The crew stays in Phuket.
December 22, 1995: The aircraft takes off to Karachi and makes a forced landing in Mumbai. Bleach and five others arrested. Davy disappears mysteriously.
Jan 1996: The registered post arrives after the operation.
1997: An investigation confirms Marg's involvement.
2000: Bleach and crew slapped with life imprisonment, but soon the 5 member crew is released on Putin's request.
2002: Efforts to extradite Davy begins.
2004: Bleach pardoned by president on Blair's request. Acharya Tatbhanand Avadhoot arrested.
2007: Tatbhanand Avadhoot conditional bail after being diagnosed with cancer
2008-2014: Efforts to extradite Davy continues.
#IndiasBiggestMysterySinceIndependence
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