On October 18 last year, local activists gathered at Teegalakuntapalli village in Telangana’s Siddipet district to attend the funeral of Katha Ramchandra Reddy alias Raju Dada, a central committee member of the banned Communist Party of India (Maoist), who was killed in an encounter with the

Chhattisgarh police in Narayanpur district’s Abujhmad on September 22.

Months later, in February this year, several attendees of the meeting received notices from the National Investigation Agency (NIA).

Reddy’s son Raja Chandra had earlier petitioned the Supreme Court, stating that his father was killed in a “fake encounter” staged by the Chhattisgarh police.

The notices summoned at least 10 attendees, including those who spoke at the event, on different dates in March. “Whereas it appears that you are acquainted with the facts and circumstances of the case cited above, you are required to be examined. In this regard, you are hereby directed to be present at your above-mentioned address… for carrying out enquiry/examination. In case you wish to be examined at any other alternate place of your residence, the same may be communicated to the undersigned,” the notices, served by a Deputy Superintendent of Police of the NIA from the Hyderabad branch, state.

When contacted, NIA officials said they could not comment on an ongoing inquiry or investigation.

“There was nothing unlawful at the funeral, except that the speakers were critical of the Centre,” an attendee who was summoned told The Indian Express. Raja Chandra said speakers were also critical of Maoist Politburo member Mallojula Venugopal alias Sonu, who surrendered in October last year.

The first notice was served to Jharkhand activist Damodar Turi, who appeared before the agency on March 4. Two months after the event, the NIA had arrested a Telugu social activist, Gade Innaiah, who spoke at the funeral, under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act “for allegedly encouraging support for the banned CPI (Maoist), intending to further the activities of CPI (Maoist), and inciting the gathering to commit an unlawful activity and encouraged those present to continue the Maoist revolution”, an NIA press release read.

Those who were served notices last month include members of mainstream political parties such as the Communist Party of India and the Congress, sources said. They range from a district leader to an ex-sarpanch to an advocate to a writer-poet to student leaders.