Raipur: A special NIA court in Jagdalpur on Saturday convicted 10 accused in connection with the 2013 Jhiram Ghati Maoist attack. The court found all 10 guilty under various sections, including murder of 27 people and attempted murder of 15 others.
The court will pronounce the quantum of sentence on September 16.
The trial initially involved 11 accused, but one died during the proceedings. Defence counsel Arvind Choudhary said the defence team plans to challenge the NIA court verdict in the Supreme Court.
List of Convicted Persons
- Pramila Modiyam
- Chaitu Lekam alias Munna
- Sumitra alias Sumitra Punem Modiyam
- Mukka Mandvi
- Kosa Kawasi alias Kosaram
- Ayta Markam
- Madkami Deva
- Joga Madkami
- Banjami Sanna alias Chamru alias Denga
- Mahadev Nag
The 2013 Jhiram Ghati Attack
On May 25, 2013, Maoists ambushed a 25-vehicle convoy carrying around 200 Congress leaders and workers during the party’s Parivartan Yatra, ahead of the Chhattisgarh Assembly elections.
At around 3:40 pm, more than 200 armed Maoists blocked the road at Jhiram Ghati by felling trees and opened fire on the convoy. The attack continued for nearly 90 minutes.
Chhattisgarh Pradesh Congress Committee chief Nand Kumar Patel and his son Dinesh Patel were killed on the spot.
The Maoists later targeted senior leader Mahendra Karma, founder of the Salwa Judum movement, and shot him multiple times. Former Union Minister Vidya Charan Shukla, senior leader Uday Mudaliar, along with several security personnel and party supporters, were also killed in the attack.
