Top Maoist leader arrested in Purba Medinipur, CM says govt won't tolerate revival of 'red terror'

PTI, September 17, 2026, Kolkata: A Special Task Force (STF) of Kolkata Police has arrested a top Maoist leader in Purba Medinipur district, Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari said on Thursday, asserting that his government will not tolerate the revival of 'red terror' in the state.

Adhikari commended the force in successfully tracking and apprehending 64-year-old Asim Mandal alias Akash, a central committee member and secretary of the West Bengal State Committee-I of CPI-Maoist, from Lalat in Patashpur area of the district.

Akash, intelligence sources said, was a close aide of top Maoist military commander Mallojula Koteswara Rao alias Kishenji, who was killed by security forces in the forests of Jhargram in 2011.

"Evading law enforcement for more than 15 years across inter-state forest belts, his (Akash's) apprehension on the basis of sharp technical intelligence demonstrates the exceptional operational competence of our police force," the Chief Minister said in a social media post.

"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. No extremist ideology will be allowed to jeopardise the safety and security of the people and jeopardise the development of our state. The law will take its strictest course to demolish any such audacious attempt," he added.

Akash, who has long been regarded as one of the key figures in the Maoist organisation in West Bengal, had come to Patashpur to raise money for medical treatment, sources said, adding he is in poor health and suffers from high blood pressure.

Additionally, at his age, he was finding it exhausting to trek for miles across hills while being pursued by security forces, they added.

Akash had been involved in ultra-Left activities since his college days in the 1980s and carried a reward of Rs 1 crore on his head.

He had spent around four decades in the forested areas along the West Bengal-Jharkhand border, including the period surrounding the party's formation in 2004.

Akash was appointed state secretary of the CPI-Maoist following the death of the party's politburo leader Kishenji and, according to sources, had recently disbanded the party's state military wing after remaining active for about two-and-a-half decades.

An extensive search operation had recently been conducted for Akash in the forested areas along the West Bengal-Jharkhand inter-state boundary to track him down, but the insurgent managed to escape.

Two INSAS rifles, 103 cartridges and six magazines had been seized from Rollahatu in Jharkhand during the operations.

Akash, sources said, is likely to be questioned about the remaining Maoist network, their sources of funding, former associates and possible communication channels in border areas.

His links with members who have surrendered in recent months is also likely to be examined.