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CRPF Special DG gives one-month ultimatum to ultras
Asked if Misir Besra’s family has been engaged in convincing him to surrender, the special DG said that he had no such information.
Following three visits by CRPF DG Gyanendra Pratap Singh, the Special Director General (DG) of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Deepak Kumar, on Saturday issued a one-month ultimatum to 40–45 cadres of the banned Left-Wing Extremist (LWE) outfit CPI (Maoist), led by politburo member Misir Besra alias Sagar and CCM Asim Mondal alias Akash alias Timir—both carrying a bounty of ₹1 crore each—to surrender or face dire consequences.
“We are giving them at most one month to surrender, otherwise they will face consequences. Around 40–45 Naxals are currently holed up inside the Saranda forests, and we have made plans for each of them. It is better that they surrender. They are local people, people of our own country. Every death is sad and unfortunate. But soon there will be an encounter with Misir Besra, and it will be final and decisive,” the CRPF Special DG told the media at a helipad inside the Saranda forests near CRPF battalion-193 camp at Baliba on Saturday.
Asked if Misir Besra’s family has been engaged in convincing him to surrender, the special DG said that he had no such information.
“Nor anyone from the Naxals ranks have come forward to initiate any move the surrender. We want them to surrender.... every life is precious but there is at most a month ... after that ... it’s over,” said Kumar.
The CRPF special DG had a 2-hour long meeting at the Baliba CRPF camp with forces on the ground and CRPF IG Saket Kumar Singh, STF IG Anoop Birtharay, Ranchi DIG Satish Linda, CRPF DIG Vinod Kartik, commandant Om Shukla and West Singhbhum SP Amit Renu.
“We motivated the forces engaged in the anti-Naxal operations on the ground, discussed and finalized operational plans and strategies. We are having continuous successes in freeing the country of Maoist menace .... four Naxals, including Sahdev Mahto alias Sahdev Soren, were neutralized yesterday,” reminded Kumar.
Officials said that Misir Besra and Asim Mondal and about 20 remaining top Maoist commanders, including six female Maoists, have been surrounded in an area of 21 sq km in Baliba, Babudera, Dalaidera Chadradera, Marangponga, Kolbonga, Tirilposi areas by over 5000 jawand of CoBRA, CRPF, Jharkhand Jaguar, STF and West Singhbhum district armed police battalions.
“Misir Besra and these remaining Maoists are centred in an area stretching 10 km and they have no option but to Surender or perish. All exit routes to speak out into Odisha, Chhattisgarh are blocked and supply line for foods and logistics have been cut off. Our operation is ongoing and it’s now matter of time,” a senior official said.
According to police, apart from Misir Besra and Asim Mondal, special area commanders Ajay Mahto ( ₹25 lakh bounty), Santosh, regional commenders Bhavani, Ramprasad Mardi alias Sachin ( ₹15 lakh), Bela Sarkar ( ₹15 lakh), Madan Mahto ( ₹15 lakh), Santosh Mahato ( ₹15 lakh), Mehnat alias Mochu ( ₹15 lakh), zonal commanders Rinki, Santosh Majhi, Sandip, Varsha ( ₹10 lakh), Ashwin, Saluka ( ₹10 lakh), Chandan Lohra ( ₹10 lakh), Samar-da, Mita ( ₹10 lakh) and Gauri (special commander) are currently active inside Saranda Forests.
Seven Malaria-hit jawans airlifted
A CRPF battalion-205 jawan Anil Biswal, who has been suffering from Malaria, fainted at the helipad when the CRPF special DG Deepak Kumar was speaking to the media on Saturday. Later, seven ailing CRPF jawans were lifted into the special DG’s helicopter for better treatment.
Earlier, six CoBRA battalion-210 personnel, including two officers, were injured in the Maoist IED blasts and firing during an encounter on April 15 and 16 last.
On January 20-21, the joint forces had gunned down 17 Maoists, including central committee member (CCM) Patiram Majhi alias Anal-da, carrying a cumulative bounty of ₹2.35 crore and 13 hardcore Naxals carrying a cumulative bounty of ₹2.14 crore, including eight female Maoists immediately after CRPF DG Gyanendra Pratap Singh’s second visit to Saranda Forests on January 19, 2026.
