A special NIA court in the Bastar district of Chhattisgarh has convicted 10 persons in the Jhiram Valley Maoist attack case that occurred in 2013. The attack had resulted in the deaths of 29 persons and proved to be a severe blow to the Congress leadership of Chhattisgarh. The quantum of sentence will be announced by the court on September 16. The Jhiram Valley Maoist attack is one of the most deadly Maoist attacks in Chhattisgarh. The attack took place on May 25, 2013, in the Jhiram Valley of Bastar.
Jhiram Valley Maoist Attack Case Details
The convoy of Congress leaders was returning from the Parivartan Rally when Maoists attacked it on a national highway. The area lies within the jurisdiction of Darbha police station.
Senior Congress leaders were among those who died due to the attack. Nand Kumar Patel, who was at that time the Congress Chief of Chhattisgarh; his son Dinesh Patel; former Leader of Opposition Mahendra Karma; former Union Minister Vidya Charan Shukla; and former MLA Uday Mudliyar were some of the victims.
Jhiram Valley Maoist Attack: NIA Probe and 101 Witnesses
Bastar police registered the case, and then it was handed over to the NIA due to the gravity of the incident. The agency had submitted its charge sheet before the special court of Jagdalpur in September 2014. In the prolonged hearing, the NIA had called 101 witnesses. Two judicial commissions were also set up for investigating various dimensions of the Jhiram Valley Maoist attack. The judgment was earlier scheduled for August 31, but now it has been put off to September 5.
Jhiram Valley Maoist Attack: Bhupesh Baghel, Raman Singh Trade Charges
Ex-Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh, Bhupesh Baghel, has accused the NIA of hiding information and not allowing the state government to investigate the matter. He has also accused the previous BJP government of failing to provide adequate protection. Ex-BJP National Vice-President and ex-chief minister of Chhattisgarh, Raman Singh, denied the allegations and said that he only wants to play politics.
What Was the Jhiram Valley Maoist Attack Case?
This case pertains to the ambush conducted by Maoists on May 25, 2013. There was an ambush of the convoy of Congress leaders who were returning from the ‘Parivartan Rally’ in Jhiram Valley, Bastar. 29 people died, including some senior Congress leaders. This case was initially registered by the Bastar police. Later, the case was transferred to the National Investigation Agency (NIA). They prepared their charge sheet in 2014 and examined 101 witnesses.
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Which Senior Congress Leaders Were Killed in the Jhiram Valley Attack?
Several prominent Congress leaders were among those killed in the 2013 Jhiram Valley Maoist attack. They included:
- Nand Kumar Patel: Then Chhattisgarh Congress Chief
- Dinesh Patel: Nand Kumar Patel’s son
- Mahendra Karma: Former Leader of Opposition in the Chhattisgarh Assembly and founder of the anti-Maoist Salwa Judum movement
- Vidya Charan Shukla: Former Union Minister
- Uday Mudliyar: Former Congress MLA
The deaths dealt a major blow to the Congress in Chhattisgarh and made the Jhiram Valley attack one of the most significant Maoist attacks in the state’s history.
Sudeep Singh Rawat is a Copy Editor at NewsX Digital with over five years of experience in digital journalism. He covers national and international news, with a focus on politics, crime, technology, public affairs, and trending topics. Before joining NewsX Digital, he worked with Business Standard, The Sunday Guardian, and other digital media organisations. His reporting focuses on breaking news, enterprise stories, and explainers that inform readers through accurate, balanced, and context-driven journalism.
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