Misir Besra Arrested in Jharkhand After Two Decades

Misir Besra, a senior member of the banned CPI (Maoist), was arrested on 29 July 2026 in the Maniadih area near the Dhanbad-Giridih border in Jharkhand. He was the last active Politburo and Central Committee member of the organisation and carried a reward of over ₹1 crore.

CPI (Maoist) Structure

The CPI (Maoist) is a banned left-wing extremist organisation in India. Its top decision-making bodies include the Politburo and the Central Committee, which guide strategy, cadre deployment, and armed activity.

Operation and Arrest Details

The arrest took place in a joint operation involving the Intelligence Bureau, Jharkhand Police, CRPF, and Jharkhand Jaguar. Besra was arrested with four associates, including Regional Committee members Tumba Manjhi and Biren Hansda, who each carried a bounty of ₹15 lakh. Jharkhand had announced a reward of ₹1 crore on Besra, while Odisha had announced ₹1.20 crore. He was known by aliases such as Sunirmal, Bhaskar, and Sagar.

Criminal Record and Movement History

Besra had been absconding for nearly two decades and faced more than 150 criminal cases across Jharkhand, Bihar, Odisha, and Chhattisgarh. The cases included murder and improvised explosive device blasts. He joined the Maoist movement in the mid-1980s and worked on its organisational and armed structure in Jharkhand. Security agencies linked him to coordination across the Red Corridor, a belt of left-wing extremism across several central and eastern Indian states.

Earlier Arrest and Escape

Besra was arrested in September 2007 in Khunti district. He escaped in 2009 after Maoists attacked the Lakhisarai court complex in Bihar.

Important Facts for Exams

• The CRPF is the Central Reserve Police Force, a central armed police force under the Ministry of Home Affairs.
• Jharkhand Jaguar is a specialised anti-Naxal unit of the Jharkhand Police.
• The Red Corridor refers to districts affected by left-wing extremism in parts of central, eastern, and southern India.
• The CPI (Maoist) was formed in 2004 through the merger of major Maoist groups in India.

Misir Besra faced cases in at least four states: Jharkhand, Bihar, Odisha, and Chhattisgarh. His arrest ended the active Politburo leadership of the CPI (Maoist), according to security officials.