15 hrs ago
Top Maoist Leader Asim Mandal Surrenders After 40 Years
Asim Mandal is a senior leader of the CPI (Maoist), an armed Maoist group.
He had been living underground for about 40 years.
Police say he surrendered in West Bengal.
Authorities had offered Rs 2.20 crore in rewards for information leading to him.
He is connected to nearly 55 cases in three states.
Some of those cases involve attacks and encounters with security forces.
Officials are now asking him about hidden camps, weapons and explosives.
They hope his information will help security forces find parts of the Maoist network.
CPI (Maoist) Central Committee member Asim Mandal, alias Akash, surrendered in West Bengal after decades underground.
Mandal carried combined rewards of Rs 2.20 crore announced by Jharkhand and Odisha authorities.
He is wanted in nearly 55 cases across Jharkhand, Odisha and West Bengal, including attacks involving security personnel.
Security agencies are questioning him about Maoist hideouts, weapons stockpiles and explosives in the Saranda region.
The surrender followed Mandal’s reported disbanding of the CPI (Maoist)’s Bengal unit earlier in the week.
- Who
- Asim Mandal, also known as Akash, a Central Committee member of the CPI (Maoist), surrendered to authorities.
- What
- A senior Maoist leader wanted in nearly 55 cases surrendered after roughly four decades underground.
- Where
- Mandal surrendered in West Bengal; his alleged activities and suspected weapons dumps involve Jharkhand, Odisha and West Bengal.
- When
- The surrender was confirmed on Thursday; the article also links it to developments earlier in the same week.
- Why
- Security agencies are questioning him for information about Maoist networks, hideouts, weapons, ammunition and explosives.
Key facts
- Maoist leader
- Asim Mandal, alias Akash, also known by the names Timir, Manoj, Deepak and Rakesh.
- Organisation
- CPI (Maoist)
- Reward
- Rs 2.20 crore combined: Rs 1 crore from Jharkhand and Rs 1.20 crore from Odisha.
- Cases
- Nearly 55 serious criminal cases across Jharkhand, Odisha and West Bengal.
- Previous activity
- Mandal was active for years in Jharkhand’s Kolhan and Saranda regions.
- Investigation focus
- Authorities are seeking information about hideouts and concealed arms, ammunition and explosives.
- Recent organisational development
- Mandal had disbanded the CPI (Maoist)’s Bengal unit earlier in the week, according to the article.
Sources
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