Comrade Akash, originally from Garbeta in Medinipur, West Bengal, gained his baptism in Naxalite politics as a student in the late 1980s. In 1999, he became a member of the first armed squad formed in Garbeta. At the time of Kishenji’s death in 2011, he was the Secretary of the Bengal State Committee. He later moved to Jharkhand.
Comrade Akash was arrested during a joint search operation conducted by the Jharkhand and West Bengal STF.
His arrest is a gross violation of granting the status of political prisoner for Comrade Asim Mondal and all political prisoners, of their fundamental right to communicate family and legal support, which has been robbed since June 29, 2026.
Mandal is from Fulchak village under Chandrakona Police Station in the West Midnapore district. His association with Left-Wing Extremism traces back back to his student years in the 1980s.
He later joined the People’s War Group and operated in the Sarenga and Goaltor regions of West Bengal. His activities also extended to Gurabanda in Jharkhand’s East Singhbhum district.
After the CPI (Maoist) was formed in September 2004, Mandal returned to Jangalmahal, which encompasses parts of Bankura, Purulia and West Midnapore.
He played a pivotal role in steering the Lalgarh movement and was subsequently entrusted with the responsibility of secretary of the outfit’s West Bengal State Committee in 2010. He later held positions in the Bengal-Jharkhand-Odisha Regional Committee.
Mandal has also functioned as a Central Committee member of the CPI (Maoist).
Security agency records cited by police have framed charges on Mandal in nearly 55 cases across West Bengal, Jharkhand and Odisha.
Mandal had remained underground for years after senior Maoist leader Kishanji was killed in an encounter in November 2011.
His wife, a resident of Patashpur and an alleged CPI (Maoist) activist, was arrested by the STF in 2010 and is currently languishing in judicial custody.
Police said that after the death of top Maoist leader Koteswar Rao, alias Kishenji, who headed the rebels’ eastern India operations in November 2011, Akash along with a few other members moved to Jharkhand travelling from Dalma to Saraikhela and Saranda. He has been active mostly in Jharkhand since 2012. Misir Besra, a Maoist Politburo member, was arrested in Jharkhand’s Dhanbad on July 28. “He was a member of the Misir Besra squad.
info from Harsh Thakor is a freelance journalist. Referred to Hindustan Times, Indian Express and Asia news network and thanks Revolutionary Students Front .
No comments:
Post a Comment