Asim Mandal, the last surviving member of the Maoist central committee, has been arrested in West Bengal.
Reader brief
Through the Reader lens: West Bengal Police arrested high-ranking Maoist leader Asim Mandal, also known as Akash, in the Purba Medinipore district. Mandal, a Central Committee Member of the Communist Party of India (Maoist), faced significant bounties from both the Jharkhand and Odisha governments. Authorities stated the arrest was the result of long-term tracking and technical intelligence, marking a significant move against the group's network. The government has indicated a potential openness to his rehabilitation if he expresses a willingness to join the mainstream.
What to watch next
- Ongoing interrogation for operational details on Maoist cadre networks
- Potential legal proceedings regarding his status
- Future potential for rehabilitation of the arrested leader
What was said4
Attributed, verbatim. Every quote is checked against the article it came from. One that does not match is not shown.
Suvendu Adhikari
2 quotes“I want to make it categorically clear that the West Bengal government will not tolerate any attempt to revive or expand the network of 'Red Terror' within our State borders”
In the article
…law enforcement for more than 15 years across inter-State forest belts, his apprehension on the basis of sharp technical intelligence demonstrates the exceptional operational competence of our police force. I want to make it categorically clear that the West Bengal government will not tolerate any attempt to revive or expand the network of 'Red Terror' within our State borders ," he said on X. According to the officials, Akash took charge of the Bengal unit of CPI (Maoist) in 2011 after the death of senior commander Kishenji alias Mallojula Koteswara Rao. Hailing from Paschim Medinipore,…
“No extremist ideology will be allowed to jeopardize the safety & security of the People and jeopardize the development of our State. The law will take its strictest course to demolish any such audacious attempt”
In the article
…Mandal, who had been evading law enforcement for over 15 years across inter-state forest belts. He said the state government will not tolerate any attempt to revive or expand the network of “Red Terror” in the state. “ No extremist ideology will be allowed to jeopardize the safety & security of the People and jeopardize the development of our State. The law will take its strictest course to demolish any such audacious attempt ,” Adhikari wrote on X. Misir Besra, a Maoist Politburo member, was arrested in Jharkhand’s Dhanbad on July 28. Jharkhand Police chief Tadasha Mishra had then said that after Besra, Mandal’s arrest was only a matter of…
Ajay Nanda
1 quote“If he wants to return to mainstream, we will support him”
In the article
…Commissioner said the government might consider providing necessary support for his return to the 'mainstream'. He said, "The willingness of return is the foremost condition here. Let his legal procedure be over. If he wants to return to mainstream, we will support him ," said Mr. Nanda. Coordinated operations Maoist insurgency emerged strongly during mid-2000s at the Jungalmahal area on the West Bengal-Jharkhand border, including Purulia, Paschim Medinipore and Jhargram. However, it…
Amit Shah
1 quote“the March 31 deadline for ending Left-wing extremism across the country had been met”
In the article
…Maoists were at large, including Mandal. They added that 113 Maoists have been arrested from January to August, 50 have surrendered, and 22 have been killed. Union home minister Amit Shah told Parliament this year that the March 31 deadline for ending Left-wing extremism across the country had been met . Shah said 4,839 Maoists surrendered, 706 were killed, and 2,218 were arrested and jailed over the three years of heightened anti-Maoist operations.…
Sources2
- [1]The HinduneutralWest Bengal police arrest top Maoist leader Akash
- [2]Hindustan TimessupportiveLast surviving Maoist central committee member Asim Mandal arrested in Bengal