Kolkata Police STF Makes Major Breakthrough After Years-Long Hunt; Senior CPI (Maoist) Central Committee Member Held
Kolkata, September 18, 2026: In a significant breakthrough in the fight against Left-Wing Extremism in eastern India, the Special Task Force (STF) of the Kolkata Police has arrested senior CPI (Maoist) leader Asim Mandal alias ‘Akash’, a Central Committee member of the banned outfit and secretary of its West Bengal State Committee-I.
Mandal, who had remained underground for more than 15 years, was carrying a combined reward of ₹2.20 crore announced by the governments of Jharkhand and Odisha. Jharkhand had declared a reward of ₹1 crore, while Odisha had announced ₹1.20 crore for information leading to his capture.
The arrest was carried out by the Kolkata Police STF on Thursday, September 17. West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari publicly congratulated the STF and said that Mandal had been tracked using “sharp technical intelligence”.
Where Was Asim Mandal Arrested?
There are slightly different accounts in public reports regarding the precise location of the operation.
The Chief Minister’s statement said Mandal was apprehended from Lalat in the Patashpur area of Purba Medinipur, at his father-in-law’s residence. The New Indian Express and other reports also cited the same location.
However, The Telegraph, quoting Kolkata Police Commissioner Ajay Nand, reported that the STF received information about Mandal’s movement in Polerhat in Bhangar and intercepted him there. The report said he was travelling in a rickshaw when the STF team picked him up.
Thus, while the exact operational location is described differently in reports, there is agreement that the Kolkata Police STF carried out the arrest following intelligence-based tracking.
₹2.20 Crore Reward on His Head
Mandal was one of the most wanted senior Maoist leaders operating across the Bengal-Jharkhand-Odisha region.
The combined reward on him was:
- Jharkhand — ₹1 crore
- Odisha — ₹1.20 crore
- Total — ₹2.20 crore
Reports say he was wanted in around 55 criminal cases across West Bengal, Jharkhand and Odisha. The cases reportedly include serious offences connected with armed Maoist activities, attacks and violence.
The exact number and nature of cases will ultimately have to be established through the respective police and court records.
Who Is Asim Mandal Alias ‘Akash’?
Asim Mandal is a native of Fulchak village under Chandrakona in Paschim Medinipur. Reports say he became associated with the ultra-Left movement during the 1980s, initially joining the People’s War Group (PWG).
Following the formation of the CPI (Maoist) in 2004, he rose through the organisation and took on important responsibilities in West Bengal and neighbouring Jharkhand.
According to reports, Mandal operated under several aliases, including Akash, Timir and Manoj. He later became a senior functionary of the Maoist organisation and was identified as a member of its Central Committee.
He was also described in reports as having been closely associated with senior Maoist commander Kishenji (Mallojula Koteswara Rao), who was killed in a security-force encounter in 2011. Mandal is reported to have played an important role during the Lalgarh movement in West Bengal.
After the arrest of Maoist leader Sudip Chongdar in 2010, Mandal was reportedly entrusted with the responsibility of the CPI (Maoist)’s West Bengal State Committee.
Role in the Lalgarh Movement
Mandal’s name has been associated with the Maoist movement in Jangalmahal, particularly during the period of intense political and security conflict in West Bengal.
The Lalgarh movement gained prominence in the late 2000s in areas of Paschim Medinipur and adjoining districts. According to national media reports, Mandal played a leading organisational role during this period.
He subsequently became one of the senior Maoist functionaries responsible for operations and organisational activities in the Bengal-Jharkhand belt.
His reported association with Kishenji has also made him an important figure in accounts of the Maoist movement in Bengal.
How Did Police Track Him Down?
According to the West Bengal Chief Minister’s statement, the arrest followed technical intelligence gathered by the Kolkata Police STF.
Police sources cited by national media said the STF had been monitoring a relative’s residence in the area for some time.
Mandal reportedly returned to West Bengal after spending years operating in forested areas of neighbouring states. One account said he had gone to his father-in-law’s residence seeking financial assistance.
The STF acted after receiving information about his movements.
The operation is significant because Mandal had managed to evade law-enforcement agencies for more than a decade and a half.
What Was Recovered?
According to police-based reports, investigators recovered material believed to have organisational significance from Mandal.
Reports mention the seizure of:
- Maoist literature and booklets
- Organisational documents
- Letters
- Electronic communication equipment
- Pen drives
- Cash of approximately ₹95,000
The exact evidentiary value of these materials will be determined during the investigation.
The seized documents and electronic material could potentially help investigators examine Mandal’s recent contacts, movements and organisational links.
Why Is This Arrest Significant?
The arrest is being viewed by security agencies as important because Mandal was reportedly among the few senior CPI (Maoist) Central Committee members who had not surrendered despite the weakening of Maoist networks in several parts of eastern and central India.
Security operations, arrests and surrenders over recent years have significantly reduced the operational presence of the Maoist organisation in several areas.
Against that background, the arrest of a senior Central Committee member is significant for investigators attempting to understand the remaining organisational structure and possible attempts at regrouping.
However, the arrest of one senior leader by itself does not establish that the Maoist network has been completely dismantled.
Maoist Network in Bengal-Jharkhand Belt
Police have been particularly focused on the Bengal-Jharkhand border and the Saranda forest region.
According to Kolkata Police Commissioner Ajay Nand, a large number of Maoists had moved from Bengal towards the Saranda forest in Jharkhand after 2012. Mandal was reportedly active in Jharkhand during this period and was linked to several criminal cases there.
Earlier in 2026, reports indicated that security forces had intensified operations in Saranda after several Maoists surrendered while senior leaders including Mandal and Misir Besra remained at large. Hindustan Times reported in May that security agencies believed Mandal and Besra had moved away from the Saranda area after a major surrender operation.
The subsequent arrest of Mandal in Bengal therefore represents the latest development in a wider multi-state effort to track remaining senior Maoist leadership.
What Police Want to Know Now
Following his arrest, investigators are expected to focus on several questions:
1. Current Maoist network
Police are likely to examine whether Mandal maintained active links with Maoist cadres in Bengal, Jharkhand and Odisha.
2. Recent movements
Investigators will seek to establish where he had been staying and travelling during his years underground.
3. Financial network
His reported visit to a relative’s house for financial assistance could lead investigators to examine the financial channels and support networks used by underground cadres.
4. Communication network
The electronic devices, pen drives, documents and letters reportedly seized from him could provide investigators with information about contacts and communications.
5. Possibility of regrouping
Police are also expected to examine whether there were efforts to rebuild or revive Maoist organisational structures in parts of West Bengal.
Kolkata Police Commissioner Ajay Nand said Mandal had been active in Jharkhand even though there had been no recent significant movement by him in Bengal, according to The Telegraph.
What Did the West Bengal Government Say?
Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari praised the Kolkata Police STF following the arrest.
He said Mandal had evaded law enforcement for more than 15 years while moving through inter-state forest areas and described the use of technical intelligence in tracking him as evidence of the operational capabilities of the police force.
The Chief Minister also said the government would not permit attempts to revive or expand Maoist networks in the state.
His comments came amid renewed security attention on the possibility of Maoist regrouping in parts of south-western Bengal.
What Happens Next?
Mandal is expected to face the legal process in connection with the cases registered against him. The Telegraph reported that he would be produced before a court on Friday following his arrest.
Police are expected to seek detailed interrogation to establish his movements, contacts and organisational activities.
The seized documents and electronic devices are also likely to undergo forensic examination.
Any allegations against Mandal will ultimately have to be established through the judicial process.
A Major Arrest, But Not the End of the Maoist Challenge
The arrest of Asim Mandal is undoubtedly a significant development in the security forces’ continuing operations against CPI (Maoist) networks in the Bengal-Jharkhand-Odisha region.
For investigators, the importance of the arrest goes beyond the capture of one individual. Mandal’s reported position in the CPI (Maoist) Central Committee, his long association with the organisation and his links to the Bengal-Jharkhand theatre could make the information obtained during interrogation relevant to understanding the group’s remaining structure.
At the same time, it would be premature to conclude that the arrest alone represents the complete elimination of Maoist activity in the region. The actual impact will depend on what investigators establish about the organisation’s current network and whether other active cadres remain.
Key Facts at a Glance
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Name | Asim Mandal |
| Aliases | Akash, Timir, Manoj |
| Organisation | CPI (Maoist) |
| Position | Central Committee member; West Bengal State Committee-I secretary, according to police reports |
| Age | Around 64–65 |
| Arresting agency | Kolkata Police Special Task Force |
| Arrest | September 17, 2026 |
| Reward | ₹2.20 crore combined |
| Jharkhand reward | ₹1 crore |
| Odisha reward | ₹1.20 crore |
| Cases | Around 55 across three states, according to national media reports |
| Reported operational links | West Bengal, Jharkhand and Odisha |
| Major historical association | Lalgarh movement; Maoist activities in Jangalmahal |
| Reported recovery | Organisational literature/documents, electronic material and cash |
| Next step | Court proceedings and further investigation |
Bottom line: The arrest of Asim Mandal alias Akash marks a major development in the multi-state hunt for senior CPI (Maoist) leadership. The ₹2.20-crore reward, his reported Central Committee position, nearly 55 cases and decades-long association with the Maoist movement make him one of the most significant Maoist leaders to be arrested in Bengal in recent years. The investigation into his contacts, documents and electronic material could now provide security agencies with a clearer picture of the organisation’s remaining network.
