A special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court in Chhattisgarh’s Bastar region has convicted 10 people in connection with the 2013 Jhiram Valley Maoist attack, which killed 29 people and virtually wiped out the state’s Congress leadership.
Security forces categorise the Jhiram Valley attack as one of the worst instances of left-wing extremist violence. The Congress leaders were returning after attending a ‘Parivartan Rally’ when they were attacked. Among those killed were senior Congress leaders, including then-state Congress chief Nand Kumar Patel, his son Dinesh, former Leader of the Opposition in the assembly Mahendra Karma, former Union Minister Vidya Charan Shukla, and former MLA Uday Mudliyar. Several civilians and security personnel were also killed.
The incident took place on May 25, 2013, when Maoists ambushed a convoy of Congress leaders on a national highway in Jhiram Valley, under the Darbha police station limits in Bastar district.
Accountability in Political Discourse Intensifies Ahead of Sentencing
The sentencing announcement is scheduled for September 16, drawing significant political attention. Former chief minister Bhupesh Baghel has accused the National Investigation Agency (NIA) of withholding crucial information and obstructing the state government’s investigation into the case. He further criticized the previous BJP administration for failing to ensure security, which he claims allowed Maoists to target Congress leaders.
In response, former BJP national vice-president and chief minister Raman Singh dismissed Baghel’s allegations, suggesting that Baghel is more interested in political maneuvering than in seeking justice. “He just wants to play politics over the issue,” Singh stated, according to news agency ANI. The exchange underscores the ongoing political tensions surrounding the case and accountability in governance.
