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Top Maoists Misir Besra, Asim Mondal ‘sneak out’ of Saranda with key aides
Twenty-five Maoist extremists surrendered in Jharkhand, but top commanders Misir Besra and Asim Mondal reportedly escaped to safer locations.
Even as an unprecedented 25 Maoist extremists, including six SZCMs and six ACMs from Saranda forests surrendered before Jharkhand police, talks gained momentum that two topmost surviving Maoist commanders Misir Besra and Asim Mondal might have sneaked out of Saranda and reached ‘safe’ locations, people aware of the matter said on Thursday.
Intelligence sources said Maoist politburo member Misir Besra alias Sagar alias Nirbhay, carrying a bounty of ₹2 crore in Jharkhand and Odisha, and central committee member (CCM) Asim Mondal alias Akash alias Timir, carrying a bounty of ₹1 crore, have succeeded in sneaking out of Saranda through Khunti and Purulia and parted ways from thereon.
“Now around 16-17 Maoists are left in the Saranda region after today’s surrender of 25 Maoists. Security forces are making all efforts to trace Besra and Asim Mondal. Let them think and do whatever they like but they are now optionless. Our anti-Naxal operation is ongoing and will continue till the Maoists are conclusively wiped out. Our surrender policy is very lucrative as surrendered Maoists are kept in open jail, rehabilitated fully, their family and children’s education taken care of, apart from financial assistance. If they surrender elsewhere, they miss out on these unique benefits and cases pending against them in Jharkhand will persist and legal action pursued,” Amit Renu, West Singhbhum SP, told HT.
“Misir Besra, covered by Ajay Mahto alias Tiger, Mochu alias Mehnat, Chandan Lohra and Saluka Kayam, all with bounty of ₹10 lakh each, are headed towards Odisha-Telangana border while Mondal, covered by Ramprasad Mardi alias Sachin, his wife Mita alias Nayantara alias Jhumpa and Madan Mahato and his wife Joba, all with bounty of ₹15 lakh each, are headed towards West Bengal,” an intelligence officer said.
The series of surrenders that started with Maoist regional committee member (RCM) Shraddha Biswas alias Bela Sarkar alias Panchami alias Sandhya alias Asha alias Dipa, carrying a bounty of ₹15 lakh and with 23 cases pending in Jharkhand, and ZCM Madhai Patra alias Samar-da alias Sujoy in Kolkata, followed up by Pasunoori Narhari alias Tech Viswanth, carrying a bounty of ₹25 lakh and his wife Shobha alias Poonam alias Jobha in Telangana ended in the surrender of 25 Maoists from Saranda on Thursday.
“It was a precursor to the plan to get Misir Besra and Asim Mondal out of Saranda safely. The entire Maoist ranks inside Saranda were in a disarray after they lost 18 of their cadres, including central committee member CCM Patiram Majhi alias Anal-da, with a bounty of ₹2.30 crore and Lalchand Hembram alias Anmol, with a bounty of ₹90 lakh since January 20-21. Misir Besra had entrusted Ramprasad Mardi alias Sachin, hailing from Jhujhka in Patamda, to arrange for safe exit from Saranda as they had only one option left - flee or die,” the officer added.
Interestingly, Bela Sarkar, Madhai Patra, Sachin and his wife Mita, Madan Mahato and his wife Joba - have worked under the Dalma, Ayodhya hills and Belpahari squads led by Maoist Bengal state secretary Asim Mondal during the times of slain Maoists military commission head Kishenji’s Lalgarh siege Silda EFR camp massacre of 24 jawans in February 2010 and Sankrail PS attack killing the OC in October 2010.
“They have links in Jharkhand and West Bengal border districts. In fact, Ranjit Pal alias Rahul and his wife Jharna Pal had surrendered before Kolkata police on January 25, 2017. Ranjit is the main accused with Sachin in the murder of former Jamshedpur MP Sunil Mahato on March 4 2007. There were talks of Sachin and Mita’s likely surrender before the West Bengal police station that time,” a former IPS officer posted in East Singhbhum district, told HT.
Interestingly, Sachin’s wife Mita alias Nayantara alias Jhumpa, Ranjit Pal’s wife Jharna and another female Maoist Kavita are biological sisters hailing from Nandigram in East Midnapore district of West Bengal. Kavita was earlier arrested from the MGMMCH PS area in Jamshedpur by the East Singhbhum police.
