Jharkhand Police Arrest CPI (Maoist) Politburo Member Misir Besra in Major Anti-Naxal Operation

Ranchi: In a major breakthrough against Left-Wing Extremism, the Jharkhand Police, in a joint operation with Central Armed Police Forces, arrested Misir Besra alias Sagar alias Bhaskar alias Surnimal, the only active Politburo Member (PBM) of the banned CPI (Maoist), carrying a combined bounty of ?2.20 crore.

The operation, codenamed "Operation Daura Pahad," was carried out on July 28 in the forested area under Barwadda police station in Dhanbad district by a joint team comprising the Dhanbad and Giridih district police and the 209 CoBRA Battalion.

Besides Besra, security forces also arrested Mehnat alias Mochhu alias Vibhishan, a Regional Committee Member (RCM) carrying a reward of ?15 lakh, Gaurav alias Birendra Hansda alias Sourabh, an Area Committee Member (ACM), and two other Maoist associates.

According to police, Misir Besra was wanted in 175 criminal cases and carried a reward of ?1 crore announced by the Jharkhand government and ?1.20 crore by the Odisha government. Mehnat was wanted in 137 cases, while Gaurav was wanted in eight cases.

Security personnel recovered three AK-47 rifles, eight magazines, and 288 rounds of live ammunition from the arrested Maoist leaders.

The arrests come amid an intensified anti-Maoist campaign led by the Jharkhand Police under the leadership of the Director General and Inspector General of Police. Officials said the sustained operations, coupled with the state's surrender and rehabilitation policy, have significantly weakened the banned outfit's presence in the region.

Police highlighted that on May 21, as many as 27 Maoist commanders and cadre members, including seven Special Zonal Committee Members (SZCMs), seven Area Committee Members (ACMs), and 13 squad members, surrendered with 18 firearms and 2,987 rounds of ammunition under the state's rehabilitation policy.

The campaign gained further momentum with the arrest of Regional Committee Member Ravindra Ganju, carrying a reward of ?20 lakh, on July 13, followed by the arrest of Special Area Committee Member Ajay Mahato alias Tiger, carrying a reward of ?25 lakh, on July 17. Around the same time, Maoist leader Babita alias Anita Kirku (ACM) also surrendered.

On July 28, before the announcement of Operation Daura Pahad, another 16 Maoist commanders and cadre members, including one RCM, three Zonal Committee Members (ZCMs), three SZCMs, six ACMs and three squad members, surrendered before the Jharkhand Police headquarters with 11 firearms and 1,562 rounds of ammunition.

Describing the arrest of Misir Besra as a decisive success, Jharkhand Police said the capture of the Maoist outfit's top leadership has brought the state close to eliminating the CPI (Maoist) network. The police appealed to the remaining Maoist cadres to renounce violence, join the mainstream, and take advantage of the Jharkhand Government's Surrender and Rehabilitation Policy.