Sanstha's former trainer held in Margao blast case

A former self-defence trainer with right-wing Hindu group Sanatan Sanstha was arrested in connection with Margao bomb blast conspiracy by Special Investigation Team (SIT), police said on Wednesday.

"39-year-old Dilip Mangaonkar was arrested on Tuesday morning for being part of the conspiracy to create serial bomb blasts in the state," Superintendent of Police (PRO), Atmaram Deshpande told reporters in Panaji. Mangaonkar was closely associated with Sanatan Sanstha and was a self-defence trainer at their camp at Dhamshe

in rural Goa. The self-defence camp stands dismantled since 2003,Deshpande said.

The camp tucked in Dhamshe village in Sattari taluka was actively involved in training Sanstha's seekers the self defence techniques, he said. Deshpande said that Mangaonkar was produced before Judicial Magistrate First Class, Vasco which remanded him in seven-day police custody. The accused was called for interrogation and later placed under arrest by the SIT, he said. Mangaonkar is the fourth person associated with Sanstha to be arrested in the case.