Maoist leader involved in major attacks arrested in Jharkhand

“He has accepted that the CPI-Maoist was involved in the murder of Sister Valsa John and that he led the attack on SP Balihar. More details will emerge on further interrogation,” said Anoop Mathew, Dumka’s Superintendent of Police.

Sources said the CPI-Maoist leadership was so impressed with Prabirda’s work that in July-August this year, it accepted his request to form a Special Area Committee and named him a member. He was arrested while returning after attending a meeting of the Purvi Bihar Purvothar Jharkhand Committee, which covers parts of Jamui, Bhagalpur and Patna districts of Bihar and Koderma, Giridih and the six districts of the Santhal Pargana division of Jharkhand.

Prabirda’s interrogation has also revealed the importance Maoists have accorded to the Santhal Pargana region, once considered impenetrable due to the strong influence of Jharkhand Mukti Morcha. “He has told us that he was given the responsibility of the region in 2003. This, after the party had conducted a survey and failed to move into the region under a different leader in 2001,” said a senior police officer. Prabir used frontal organisations to expand the party and in 2006, formed an armed squad.

The Maoists targeted moneylenders, moved on issues of displacement and farmers’ woes to gain the trust of the people. Since then, his team has carried out a major attack almost each year — the attack on police parties in Shikaripara and Kathikund in 2008 and ’10, and the killing of two BSF jawans in 2009, among them.