States » NorthPosted at: Sep 16 2026 8:30PM


Chhattisgarh: NIA court sentences 10 convicts to death in Jheeram Valley Maoist attack, Congress questions probe

By Shishir Roy Chowdhury
Raipur/Jagdalpur, Sep 16 (UNI) More than 13 years after the deadly Jheeram Valley Maoist attack in which 29 people including senior Congress leaders were killed, a special NIA court in Jagdalpur on Wednesday sentenced all 10 convicts to death.
Special Judge Ajay Singh Rajput pronounced the sentence against Pramila Modiyam and nine others, days after the court held them guilty on September 5.
The death sentences cannot be carried out unless they are confirmed by the Chhattisgarh High Court.
The convicts can also challenge the verdict before the High Court.
Congress party leaders have raised questions about the investigation and alleged larger conspiracy, while the BJP welcomed the ruling and rejected the opposition's allegations.
The 10 sentenced to death are Pramila Modiyam, Chaitu Lekam alias Munna, Sumitra alias Sumitra Punem Modiyam, Mukka Mandavi, Kosa Kawasi alias Kosaram, Ayata Markam, Madkami Deva, Joga Madkami, Banjami Sanna alias Chamru alias Denga and Mahadev Nag.
The accused faced charges under several provisions of the Indian Penal Code, including Sections 302, 307, 121, 121-A, 396, 397 and 120-B. Charges were also framed under the Arms Act, Explosive Substances Act and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.
The case dates back to May 25, 2013, when a Congress Parivartan Yatra convoy returning from Sukma to Jagdalpur came under attack in the Jheeram Valley in Bastar.
The convoy, comprising around 25 vehicles and nearly 200 leaders and workers, was travelling after a Congress rally in Sukma.
Among those travelling in the convoy were senior Congress leader Vidya Charan Shukla, then Chhattisgarh Congress chief Nand Kumar Patel, his son Dinesh Patel, senior Congress leader Kawasi Lakhma, former Leader of Opposition Mahendra Karma, Malkit Singh Gaidu and then Bastar Congress in-charge Uday Mudaliar.
The attack began at around 3.40 pm. Maoists had felled trees across the road, bringing the convoy to a halt, before opening fire from the surrounding area.
The then Chhattisgarh Congress president Nand Kumar Patel and his son Dinesh Patel were killed in the firing. The gunbattle continued for about an hour and a half.
Later, at around 5.30 pm, the attackers came down from the hills and searched the vehicles, according to eyewitness accounts.
Mahendra Karma, a former Leader of Opposition and prominent tribal leader who founded the Salwa Judum movement, was identified and killed. Uday Mudaliar was also killed.
Senior Congress leader Vidya Charan Shukla was critically injured in the attack. He died later while undergoing treatment.
Twenty-nine people were killed in the Jheeram Valley attack.
The National Investigation Agency subsequently investigated the case and filed a chargesheet.
The trial initially involved 11 accused, but one died during the proceedings, leaving 10 to face the case.
The trial stretched across nearly 13 years, with the prosecution examining 101 witnesses. The special court convicted all 10 accused on September 5 and pronounced the sentence on Wednesday.
Reacting to the verdict, PCC president Deepak Baij said that the Congress respects the court's decision but described it as "half justice", arguing that the judgment did not settle questions about the alleged larger conspiracy.
Baij alleged that the NIA had failed to reach senior Maoist leaders whom he described as the principal conspirators.
He questioned why only 10 people were convicted when, according to him, the investigation had indicated the involvement of a much larger number of Maoists.
He also questioned the security arrangements for the Parivartan Yatra, asking why security cover had been withdrawn and who planned the attack.
Baij alleged that statements of some survivors and injured victims were not properly incorporated into the investigation. He further questioned the handling of documents and mobile phones belonging to those killed or injured and asked why the Special Investigation Team constituted by the state government was prevented from pursuing the case.
Baij also raised questions about senior Maoist leaders whose names, he claimed, appeared during the initial stages of the investigation but were later absent from the chargesheet.
He specifically referred to Ganapathy alias Mupalla Lakshmana Rao and Ramanna, and questioned the NIA's handling of Barse Deva, whom he said had initially been declared wanted.
He cited the subsequent surrender of several senior Maoist cadres, including Chaitu alias Shyam Dada, Rupesh alias Molla Rajireddy, Nirmala alias Sumitra and Bhupathi alias Sonu Dada, as well as central committee member Sujata in Telangana in September 2025.
Baij asked whether they had been questioned about the Jheeram attack. Baij also demanded narco-analysis tests of the then chief minister, home minister, chief secretary, DGP, the senior police officer handling anti-Maoist operations and certain surrendered Maoists.
UNI SRC RN
Tags: #Chhattisgarh: NIA court sentences 10 convicts to death in Jheeram Valley Maoist attack# Congress questions probe
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