Kolkata, 10 September (H.S.): Three senior CPI (Maoist) cadres, who had been active for a long time in the forests along the Jharkhand-West Bengal border, surrendered before the West Bengal Police amid increasing security pressure. Those who surrendered include Ramprasad Mardi alias Mahadev alias Sachin alias Sunil, a Regional Committee member carrying a reward of Rs 15 lakh; his wife Mita alias Nayantara alias Jhumpha, a Zonal Committee member carrying a reward of Rs 10 lakh; and Gauri alias Bullu. According to police records, 81 criminal cases are registered against the three.

Ramprasad Mardi, a resident of Jhujhka village under Patamda Police Station in Jharkhand’s East Singhbhum district, is facing 44 cases alone. Police records show that he has been booked in cases involving murder, attempt to murder, attacks on police and security personnel, IED blasts, violations of the Arms Act, Explosive Substances Act, UAPA and CLA Act, among other serious offences.

Ramprasad was active across a wide area extending from East Singhbhum to the Saranda and Kolhan regions of West Singhbhum. According to police, an encounter took place on March 1, 2026, between security forces and Maoists in a forested and hilly area between Marangponga and Kinbir, near the boundary of Chiria OP, Chhotanagra and Jaraikela police station areas in Manoharpur. During the encounter, Cobra personnel Vikram Yadav was injured. Security forces recovered 131 rounds of ammunition, three magazines and a wireless set from the spot.

Subsequently, Assistant Commandant Ajay Mallik and Head Constable GD Sanjay Kumar of the 209th Battalion of CoBRA were injured after coming in contact with an IED planted by Maoists.

On September 19, 2024, an IED blast targeting security forces took place near Tirilposi under Jaraikela Police Station. R. Sugumar, a member of the Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad (BDDS) team of CoBRA’s 209th Battalion, was injured in the blast.

Earlier, on January 11 and 12, 2023, security forces and Maoists engaged in an encounter in the Tumbahaka forest area under Tonto Police Station, during which a series of IED blasts took place. Nine CoBRA personnel were injured in the incidents.

Cases against Ramprasad date back to 2007. He faces cases registered at Patamda, Ghatshila, MGM, Galudih, Bodam, Kharsawan, Kuchai, Toklo, Tonto and Jaraikela police stations. Police records mention several serious incidents involving firing at security forces, murder, IED blasts and illegal possession or use of weapons.

Ramprasad’s wife, Mita alias Nayantara alias Jhumpha alias Pori alias Nutan, is a resident of Sonachura under Nandigram Police Station in West Bengal’s Purulia district, according to police records. She has been identified as a CPI (Maoist) Zonal Committee member and carried a reward of Rs 10 lakh in Jharkhand. A total of 19 cases are registered against her, including serious cases in the Ghatshila, Tonto and Jaraikela areas.

Mita’s name has also figured in cases related to the January 11-12, 2023 IED blasts in the Tumbahaka forest and the September 19, 2024 IED blast at Tirilposi, both of which targeted security personnel.

The third Maoist, Gauri alias Bullu alias Joba alias Budai, is a resident of Jamirdih under Belpahari Police Station in West Bengal’s Jhargram district. He has been identified as a CPI (Maoist) Sub-Zonal Committee member and is facing 18 cases, according to police.

Gauri’s name has figured in connection with the 2023 Tumbahaka IED attack as well as an IED blast in the Samtha forest area under Jaraikela Police Station on October 10, 2025. CRPF 60th Battalion Inspector Kaushal Kumar Mishra was seriously injured in the incident. During a subsequent search operation, another IED blast injured SI Ramchandra Gogoi and Head Constable Mahendra Laskar. Laskar later succumbed to his injuries and was martyred during treatment.

On November 6, 2025, security forces engaged Maoists during an anti-Naxal operation in the Kulapuburu area of the Saranda forest under Chhotanagra Police Station. During the subsequent search operation, security forces recovered two SLR rifles, a .303 rifle, 245 rounds of ammunition, magazines, gelatin sticks, IEDs, electric detonators, a laptop and an FM radio, among other materials.

Another IED blast occurred in the Saranda forest on November 8, 2025, in which a trained CoBRA dog was killed and a security personnel was injured.

According to police records, Ramprasad Mardi, Mita and Gauri had been active in Maoist activities across Kolhan and the adjoining areas along the Jharkhand-West Bengal border for several years. Their surrender amid sustained anti-Maoist operations, increasing security pressure in the forest areas and the weakening of the Maoist network is being viewed as a significant success for the security agencies.

Hindusthan Samachar / Satya Prakash Singh