Daijiworld Media Network – Ranchi
Ranchi, Jul 29: Security forces have arrested senior Maoist leader Misir Besra, who was carrying a bounty of more than Rs 1 crore, in Jharkhand’s Dhanbad district, in what police described as a major breakthrough in the ongoing anti-Maoist operations.
Officials said Besra’s arrest marks a significant success in the crackdown against Left Wing Extremism, given his long association with the banned Maoist organisation and his position among the country’s most wanted insurgents.
Police said the arrest could severely impact Maoist activities in Jharkhand and neighbouring states, where security agencies have been conducting sustained operations to dismantle the outfit’s leadership and operational network.
Authorities are expected to question Besra to gather information about the Maoist organisation’s structure, leadership network and future strategies.
The development comes months after another major anti-Maoist operation in Jharkhand, where security forces eliminated Maoist commander Anal Da alias Toofan in an encounter in the Saranda forests in January 2026.
Anal Da, whose real name was Patiram Manjhi, was a Central Committee Member of the Communist Party of India (Maoist) and was considered one of the organisation’s key strategists. He was also known by aliases including Patiram Marandi and Ramesh, and carried a bounty of Rs 1 crore.
The joint operation involving the CoBRA battalion and the CRPF resulted in the killing of eight Maoists and was described by officials as one of the biggest anti-insurgency operations of the year.
Meanwhile, Jharkhand Police also recorded another major development on Tuesday, with 16 Maoists surrendering before authorities in Ranchi. Among them were six insurgents carrying a combined bounty of Rs 39 lakh.
Police said Santosh Mahto alias Basudev Da alias Dilip, who was wanted in 128 cases and carried a reward of Rs 15 lakh, was among those who surrendered. Two sub-zonal committee members and two area committee functionaries were also among the Maoists who gave up arms.
The arrests and surrenders are being viewed by security agencies as significant steps towards weakening the Maoist network in Jharkhand.