The Purulia arms drop case, a major security breach in India’s history, continues to haunt the nation even after nearly three decades. On Thursday, a Danish court delivered a blow to India’s efforts to bring the alleged mastermind, Niels Holck, to justice by rejecting his extradition.
The court, while not absolving Holck of any wrongdoing, ruled that his return to India posed a risk of violating his human rights under the European Convention on Human Rights. This decision stems from a long-standing dispute between India and Denmark regarding Holck’s potential safety if extradited.
The Purulia story unfolded on December 18, 1995, when villagers in the Purulia district of West Bengal stumbled upon a massive cache of weapons scattered across their fields. The weapons had been airdropped from an ageing Russian aircraft that had flown from Pakistan to Dhaka, Bangladesh, making a detour to Purulia. On board were Holck, British arms dealer Peter Bleach, Singaporean Deepak Manikan, and Latvian crew members.
The arms were intended for the Ananda Marg, a socio-spiritual sect accused of militant activities. The operation, as described by journalist Chandan Nandy in his book “The Night It Rained Guns,” was a daring breach of India’s security, exposing glaring vulnerabilities in the country’s intelligence apparatus.
Information later revealed that Indian intelligence agencies, including RAW (Research and Analysis Wing) and the Intelligence Bureau, had been alerted to the impending arms drop by British MI5 three weeks prior. However, despite this warning, the aircraft was not intercepted, allowing the delivery to occur.
While some of the conspirators were eventually apprehended and sentenced to life imprisonment, Holck and Manikan escaped. Holck, who had settled comfortably in Denmark, later wrote a book and appeared in a documentary, claiming he was acting to protect the Ananda Marg from the communist government in West Bengal. He also alleged that the Indian government had agreed to his safe return to Denmark.
India’s persistent pursuit of Holck’s extradition has been met with resistance from Danish authorities, with several court challenges by Holck delaying the process. This latest ruling further complicates the situation, casting a shadow over India’s ability to bring the key figure in this historic case to justice.
The case continues to raise questions about the effectiveness of India’s security and intelligence agencies, as well as the role of international cooperation in combating such threats. It remains to be seen how the Indian government will respond to this setback and whether it will continue its efforts to secure Holck’s extradition.
