13 years on, NIA court convicts 10 Maoists in Jhiram Ghati massacre
A special NIA court in Jagdalpur convicted all 10 accused in the 2013 Jhiram Ghati Maoist attack that killed 27 people, including senior Congress leaders.
A special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court in Jagdalpur, Bastar, on Saturday convicted all ten accused in the 2013 Jhiram Ghati Maoist attack, a case that shook Chhattisgarh's political leadership. The verdict comes thirteen years after the ambush that claimed 27 lives.
The convicted individuals are Pramila Modiyam, Chaitu Lekam alias Munna, Sumita alias Punem Modiyam, Mukka Mandvi, Kosa Kavasi alias Kosaram, Aayata Markam, Madkami Deva, Joga Madkami, Banjami Snna alias Chamru, and Mahadev Nag. The court is scheduled to announce their sentences on September 16.
The attack occurred on May 25, 2013, when Maoists targeted a Congress Parivartan Rally near the Bastar-Sukma district border. Among the dead were Mahendra Karma, founder of the anti-insurgency militia Salwa Judum; Nand Kumar Patel, the state Congress chief, and his son Dinesh; and former MLA Uday Mudliyar. Investigators believe the assault was primarily aimed at Karma. The toll included ten security personnel. The attackers also looted weapons, including AK-47 rifles, pistols, grenades, and communication equipment.
The NIA took over the investigation two days after the attack. A chargesheet was filed against nine arrested accused in September 2014, followed by a supplementary chargesheet against 30 more in September 2015. Of the 11 people arrested, one died during the trial, which spanned over a decade and involved at least 294 hearings. Final arguments concluded this month, leading to Saturday's judgment.
Notably, some prominent figures named in the chargesheet were not among the convicted. These include Thippiri Tirupathi alias Devuji, a politburo member who surrendered in Telangana this February; Barse Deva, a former battalion commander who surrendered in January; and Ganesh Uikey, a central committee member killed in an encounter in Odisha in December 2025.
Arvind Choudhary, counsel for eight of the accused, stated that they will review the court order before deciding on a possible appeal in the high court.