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Hindustan Times
27-05-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Maoists claim Basvaraju was captured, killed; police call it ‘fabricated propaganda'
The Dandakaranya Special Zonal Committee (DKSZC) of the CPI (Maoist), in a statement, called the death of Nambala Keshavrao alias Basavaraj a 'massacre' orchestrated by security forces on May 21 in Gundekot forest. However, police said that the press note of CPI Maoist was prima facie an attempt to glorify his death of Basavaraju and the statement is totally fabricated propaganda. According to the DKSZC statement, the attack resulted in the deaths of 28 Maoist cadres, including senior leaders such as Nageshwar Rao alias Madhu, members of the central committee staff, and youth leaders of the party's cultural wing. The CPI (Maoist) has alleged that Basavaraj was captured alive and subsequently killed in custody. The CPI (Maoist), in the statement, accused former Maoists of betrayal, revealing that key members of its local unit surrendered to police in recent months, compromising operational secrecy. Also Read:Who was Nambala Keshav Rao aka Basavaraju, top Maoist leader killed in Bastar Op The DKSZC claims that on May 17, forces from multiple districts began converging in the area, culminating in a 60-hour-long standoff that ended in bloodshed, and only seven out of the 35-member Maoist team managed to escape. 'The operation was launched with thousands of heavily armed forces on one side, supplied by helicopters delivering food and water. On the other side were only 35 revolutionaries fighting against the country's socio-economic problems, who had gone without food or water for 60 hours and were starving. The battle began with our comrades protecting BR Dada (Basavaraju) by keeping him in a safe place among them. In the first round, Kotlu Ram of the DRG was killed, and for a while, no one dared to advance. Soon after, firing resumed and Commander Chandan was the first to be martyred while bravely leading the resistance. Despite this, everyone fought on until the end, injuring many soldiers,' the DKSZC statement read. Narrating the encounter, the statement claimed that one team managed to break through the enemy's encirclement but got separated from the main group due to heavy shelling, while the others were unable to escape through that route. 'All comrades fulfilled their duty to protect the leadership, ensuring that Dada did not suffer even a minor injury until the very end. After all were martyred, BR Dada was captured alive and then killed. Out of 35 comrades, 28 were martyred, and 7 escaped safely. The body of comrade Nilesh was later found by our PLGA,' the statement added. Reacting to the statement, inspector general of police (IGP), Bastar range, Sunderaj P said the DKSZC statement was prima facie an attempt to glorify Basavaraju's death. 'The encounter was a decisive day in the history of anti-Naxal operations in the country. Dead body Basavaraju along with 26 other cadres were recovered by DRG troops. The press note of CPI Maoist was prima facie an attempt to glorify his death, by trying to set a narrative that he made a supreme sacrifice for some noble cause. It is totally fabricated propaganda. Basavaraju was responsible for the death of thousands and thousands innocent tribals including women and children,' said Sunderaj P. He said that Basavaraju was the one responsible for the killings of hundreds and hundreds of security personnel in various ambushes and IED blasts. 'How could one such cruel and inhumane monster be glorified as a messiah of the masses. The press note by Maoists is a deceptive tactic to keep up the crashing morale of the naxal leadership and cadres, which is really in a massive devastation due to the effective operations being carried out against them. Other fabricated and false allegations regarding the encounter don't even deserve any response. After Basava's death the entire Maoist formation is in shambles and they are facing their extinction sooner than expected,' the IG added.
Indian Express
27-05-2025
- Indian Express
Basavaraju's body cremated, police say no clear legal claimant turned up to collect it
The body of Nambala Kesava Rao alias Basavaraju, the 70-year-old Maoist chief killed in Chhattisgarh's Abujhmad last week, was cremated alongside the bodies of seven other Naxals, with police claiming that no 'clear legal claimant' turned up to collect them. According to a police officer, 'Five groups of claimants (including for Basavaraju) reached Narayanpur but couldn't produce valid and satisfactory documents to prove their relationship to the deceased. They also couldn't provide valid and legal documents in support of their claim to take the bodies to Andhra Pradesh/Telangana. The state extended all basic and humanitarian courtesy and followed due legal procedure in cremating the unclaimed bodies.' Basavaraju's nephew Nabla Janardhan Rao, however, told the media, 'I went to the police on Sunday. They said nothing… just paperwork was going on. In the evening, they took my details and left. On Monday morning, I went to the hospital and then to the SP's office. At 1 pm, they asked me for my Aadhaar card. Then they said a foul stench was emanating from the body and that we couldn't take it. I asked to see the body, but they did not allow it.' In an official press statement, the Bastar police said, 'Out of 27 bodies recovered from the Kudmel-Kalhaja-Jatloor encounter, 20 have been handed over to the family members after verifying their claims.' 'Whereas there was no clear legal claimant for the remaining seven bodies, including that of top-ranked Naxal cadre CPI Maoist General Secretary Basavaraju. All those bodies… were cremated in Narayanpur as per the legal procedure with due order from the executive magistrate,' it added. The police said Basavaraju had at least 258 criminal cases against him, wherein he had direct and indirect involvement. 'In the press note released by CPI Maoist with regard to the Abhujmad encounter, they have admitted that 28 cadres, including their General Secretary Basavaraju, died in the exchange of fire. In the press release, the illegal and banned Maoist outfit was also trying to instigate their supporters to organise rallies and meetings throughout the country to glorify the death of their cruel and dreadful leadership, who were responsible for the death of thousands and thousands of innocent citizens, tribals, women, children and security personnel. Police and intelligence agencies are keeping a strict vigilance over the activities of the underground Maoist cadres as well as their overground workers and supporters,' it said.
Indian Express
19-05-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Pune Crime Files: How activities of recently arrested ‘Maoist', known as ‘Laptop', resemble that of convicted Naxal Arun Bhelke
In 2014, the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) arrested Arun Bhelke and his wife Kanchan Nanaware from Pune for activities linked to the banned Communist Party of India (CPI-Maoist). While Kanchan, a heart patient, died on January 24, 2021, following a prolonged illness, on December 14, 2022, a special court in Pune convicted Bhelke for cheating and forgery, besides sections of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) for terrorist acts. Investigators have observed significant similarities in Bhelke's operations and that of alleged CPI Maoist member Prashant Jalinder Kamble, 44, alias Laptop alias Sunil Jadhav, who was arrested by ATS from Pune, on May 4 this year. As per police and court records, both Bhelke and Kamble allegedly operated with multiple false identities and procured IDs with fake names. Both were allegedly working in urban areas, residing in Khalapur and other places in Maharashtra's Raigad district. Both allegedly worked closely with top CPI Maoist leader Milind Teltumbde, who was gunned down by the police in Gadchiroli in November 2021. Investigators had also seized a 'letter' from Bhelke mentioning 'Laptop'. Arun Bhelke and Kanchan Nanaware ATS nabbed Bhelke and Kanchan from Pune on September 1, 2014. The police said Bhelke alias Rajan alias Sharman Jadhav alias Anand was previously arrested in a Naxal case in Chandrapur in 2008. Out on bail, he and Kanchan, both from Chandrapur, were allegedly given charge of the Golden Corridor Committee of CPI-Maoist, to spread the banned movement in urban areas like Mumbai, Pune, Thane, Nashik and Surat, officers said. As per the ATS chargesheet, Bhelke allegedly introduced himself as 'Sanjay Kamble' to some of the youths from the Kashewadi slum in Pune, gave them Maoist literature and planned to take them for 'training' in the jungle. The police said that during their college days, Bhelke and Kanchan were active members of the Chandrapur-based Deshbhakti Yuva Manch (DYM), alleged to be a 'front' of the CPI-Maoist. Officers said Bhelke also started a magazine College Katta in Chandrapur, but later he and his aides, including Kanchan, were allegedly indoctrinated by Maoist leaders. Surrendered Naxals Gopi Madavi and Krushna Dorpate had identified Arun as 'Rajan' and Kanchan as 'Bhoomi' before the court in Pune and submitted that the couple allegedly worked alongside Milind Teltumbde with armed Maiost cadres in Gadchiroli. According to the ATS, the couple resided at various places in Mumbai, Raigad, Pune with different names. ATS recovered a PAN card and Aadhaar card with the name Aditya Suresh Patil, bearing Bhelke's photo. The address on this Aadhaar card was found to be the office of the then corporator from the Govandi area in Mumbai. Besides, ATS had seized a PAN card and a Mumbai hospital patient identity card with the name Sonali Aditya Patil having Kanchan's photo. The ATS probe also revealed Bhelke and Kanchan had, before their arrest, allegedly taken different rooms on rent in Khalapur and Karjat in Raigad district, posing as Akash Narayan Bhagat and Shital Akash Bhagat. Around August 2014, they shifted to Pune and Bhelke took a room and a 'pan tapri (kiosk)' on rent at Kanhe Phata in Maval, allegedly under a fake name. When they were arrested, ATS had seized several documents, handwritten papers and electronic material like laptop, pen drive, DVD, hard disc from the couple. Alleged secret Maoist communications were reportedly retrieved from the seized electronic devices. Conviction and link to 'Laptop' During the trial, special public prosecutor Ujjwala Pawar had referred to alleged CPI-Maoist party documents like the 'Strategic and Tactics of Indian Revolution' and 'Our Work in Urban Areas', seized from the accused. Pawar had told the court that as per the 'secret agenda' stated in the strategy documents of CPI Maoist, Bhelke worked as 'PR (professional revolutionaries)' of the banned group in urban areas, using fake names and procuring fake identity cards. Pawar cited alleged secret letters as per which Bhelke had allegedly sought money from the Maoist party for Kanchan's medical needs and mentioned sending cadres for participating in Maoist activities. Bhelke refuted the allegations. But the court sentenced him to eight years of rigorous imprisonment. He was released in April 2023. Page 60 of the court's judgment has an alleged secret letter from Bhelke, stating, 'Laptop had a meeting with Sandip' and 'Laptop' talking about meeting 'DD'. The court observed that the letter was written in 'coded language' and if the accused was not an active member of a banned outfit, he had no reasons to communicate in such a manner. The police suspect that 'Laptop' in this letter is possibly Prashant Kamble, who was on the run after the arrest of Teltumbde's wife Anjela Sontakke in a 2011 case of spreading CPI (Maoist) work in cities. A police officer said that following Sontakke's arrest, Bhelke replaced her for 'urban work' and after he was nabbed, Kamble is suspected to have moved to Raigad over seven years ago for Maoist activities. The Indian Express had reported how while on the run for 15 years, Kamble appeared in a short film posted on YouTube on March 10, 2018, which identified him as 'Sunil Jagtap Sir', working with children in the tribal areas of Khalapur in Raigad. The police said Kamble procured an Aadhaar card, PAN, voter ID and a passport under the name Sunil Jagtap on a Khalapur address. Kamble's visit to protesting farmers in 2021, besides his trips to different states in India and also to Nepal are being probed by ATS. Chandan Haygunde is an assistant editor with The Indian Express with 15 + years of experience in covering issues related to Crime, Courts, National Security and Human Rights. He has been associated with The Indian Express since 2007. Chandan has done investigative reporting on incidents of terrorism, left wing extremism, espionage cases, wildlife crimes, narcotics racket, cyber crimes and sensational murder cases in Pune and other parts of Maharashtra. While working on the 'Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) Fellowship on Tigers, Tiger Habitats and Conservation' in 2012, he reported extensively on the illegal activities in the Sahyadri Tiger Reserve in Maharashtra. He has done in-depth reporting on the cases related to the Koregaon Bhima violence in Pune and hearings of the 'Koregaon Bhima Commission of Inquiry'. ... Read More
Hans India
27-04-2025
- Politics
- Hans India
Maoist Posters Found In West Bengal's Bankura District Prompt Police Investigation
Police and district administration officials in West Bengal's Bankura district have been placed on high alert following the discovery of three suspected Maoist posters in Taldangra area on Sunday morning. Local residents reported finding the handwritten posters—created with red ink on white paper—at three strategic locations: near Taldangra police station, outside the Trinamool Party office, and close to the residence of the Bankura Zilla Parishad chief. The posters carried identical messages calling for vengeance for the deaths of Maoist leaders Kishenji, Sunil Mahato, and Rimil, while also issuing direct threats to panchayat leaders with the ominous warning, "Now it is your turn." The posters also expressed opposition to tribal displacement from water resources, land, and forest areas. Each poster was signed "CPI Maoist" at the bottom. The appearance of these posters has particularly surprised residents of Taldangra, an area with no recent history of Maoist activity, despite the group's previous presence in Bankura district's extensive forest regions. Officers from Taldangra police station immediately removed the posters upon discovery. Law enforcement officials have launched an investigation to identify those responsible for creating and placing the posters. Some investigators suspect these may not be connected to actual Maoist organizations but could be attempting to create fear by using their imagery and rhetoric.
India Today
27-04-2025
- Politics
- India Today
Three Maoist posters found in Bengal's Bankura district, probe on
Three posters purportedly issued by Maoists were discovered in West Bengal's Bankura district on Sunday morning. The discovery of these three posters in Taldangra, Bankura, has alerted local police and the district morning, residents found three posters bearing Maoist insignia near the Taldangra police station, another near the Trinamool Party office, and the last one near the residence of the Bankura Zilla Parishad chief. The posters called for revenge for the deaths of Kishenji, Sunil Mahato, and Rimil, and warned panchayat Maoist activities were once prevalent in the extensive forests of Bankura district, their presence had not been felt in the Taldangra area. The appearance of Maoist posters in Taldangra is unprecedented for local residents. Consequently, the police have launched an investigation into the incident. Locals reported finding three handwritten posters in red ink on white paper bearing the Maoist name on Sunday morning. The message on all three posters was identical. The message indicated protests against the eviction of tribals from water, land, and a warning was addressed to the panchayat chief, stating, "Now it is your turn." The press line at the bottom of the posters read "CPI Maoist." Upon noticing the posters, officers from the Taldangra police station promptly removed them.A section of the police believes that these posters are not connected to actual Maoist groups. The police have already initiated an investigation to identify the individuals responsible for these input from Nirbhik Chowdhury in Bankura IN THIS STORY#All India Trinamool Congress#West Bengal
