10 Sentenced to Death for Jhiram Ghati Attack
10 Sentenced to Death for Jhiram Ghati Attack
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Key Points
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The court imposed the death sentence under seven of the 24 charges and fined each convict Rs 800; execution will remain suspended pending high court confirmation, with the convicts held in central jail meanwhile.
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The attack injured more than 30 people; another report put the number of injured at 38, underscoring the scale of the assault beyond the reported deaths.
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The 10 convicted people were identified as Pramila Modiyam, Chaitu Lekam alias Munna, Sumita alias Punem Modiyam, Mukka Mandvi, Kosa Kavasi alias Kosaram, Aayata Markam, Madkami Deva, Joga Madkami, Banjami Sanna alias Chamru and Mahadev Nag.
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Among the 28 wanted accused named in the chargesheet were senior Maoist figures Thippiri Tirupathi alias Devuji and Barse Deva, both of whom later surrendered, and Ganesh Uikey, who was killed in a December 2025 encounter in Odisha.
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According to the NIA investigation, the attack was allegedly planned by CPI (Maoist) armed cadres and local divisions as part of the organisation’s Tactical Counter Offensive Campaign, targeting senior Congress leaders and security personnel in the convoy.
A special court in Chhattisgarh sentenced 10 Maoists to death for the Jhiram Ghati attack, a 2013 ambush that killed at least 27 people including senior Congress leaders Daily Pioneer. The attack happened on May 25, 2013, when armed cadres hit a Congress convoy traveling through Bastar district. More than 13 years later, the court found all 10 guilty — two of them women — and imposed death sentences that require high court approval before execution Daily Excelsior.
The 2013 Ambush That Shook Congress Leadership
On May 25, 2013, Communist Party of India (Maoist) cadres ambushed a 25-vehicle Congress campaign convoy near Darbha in Bastar district. The attack killed at least 27 people, including senior leaders Mahendra Karma, Nand Kumar Patel, his son Dinesh, and former Union Minister Vidya Charan Shukla Economic Times. More than 30 others were wounded. The assault targeted the Congress Parivartan Yatra, a campaign effort that became one of the deadliest attacks on Indian political leaders in decades.
A 13-Year Trial Built on 101 Witnesses
The special NIA court in Jagdalpur heard testimony from 101 witnesses and reviewed extensive documentary evidence over more than a decade. The judge found all 10 accused guilty under multiple sections of the Indian Penal Code, anti-terror laws, and weapons regulations Daily Pioneer. Death sentences were imposed on seven core charges, including murder and criminal conspiracy. Each convict also received a fine of ₹800.
One original suspect died before the verdict was reached. Of 39 people named in the chargesheet, 28 remain wanted. Two wanted top commanders — Barse Deva and Thippiri Tirupathi — later surrendered. A third, Ganesh Uikey, was killed in a police encounter in Odisha in December 2025 Daily Excelsior.
The 10 Convicted Operatives Face Execution Stays
The sentenced convicts are Pramila Modiyam, Chaitu Lekam, Sumita, Mukka Mandvi, Kosa Kavasi, Aayata Markam, Madkami Deva, Joga Madkami, Banjami Sanna, and Mahadev Nag. They remain held in Jagdalpur Central Jail while awaiting high court confirmation — a mandatory step before any execution can proceed. Convicts have 30 days to file appeals in the Chhattisgarh High Court Daily Pioneer.
Congress Pushes Back on Limited Accountability
Former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel called the verdict "incomplete justice," noting that the NIA initially claimed over 200 cadres executed the attack. Only 10 lower-level operatives were prosecuted. Baghel also questioned why surrendered top commanders avoided trial, and criticized the government for blocking a state-level judicial commission that aimed to investigate broader political involvement Daily Excelsior. Victims' relatives echoed concerns about missing masterminds and alleged security lapses during the convoy escort.
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