New Delhi: A special NIA court in Chhattisgarh has sentenced four members of the proscribed CPI (Maoist) to life imprisonment for their involvement in an ambush in the state in 2014 that left 16 people, including 11 CRPF and four police personnel, dead.
The court in Jagdalpur convicted Mahadev Naag, Kawasi Joga, Dayaram Baghel, and Maniram Madiya of the state’s Bastar and Sukma districts, a spokesperson of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) said on Tuesday.
The official said they were members of an “unlawful association” working under the supervision and directions of senior CPI (Maoist) leaders.
Eleven CRPF personnel, four state police personnel, and one civilian were killed when 100 armed Maoists ambushed a joint road opening party Sukma district’s Tehakwada area in March 2014.
The NIA said its probe revealed that the accused had also mobilised “Jan militias”, local villagers, and “sangam” members for the attack.
“They had led the ambush, exploded IEDs and fired upon the security personnel, in association with other members of the banned outfit. The assailants had killed the security personnel and looted their weapons,” the spokesperson said.
The official said the case was registered at the Tongpal police station under the Indian Penal Code, the Arms Act, the Explosives Substances Act, and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.
The NIA had taken over the investigation into the case after re-registering it March 28, 2014. The agency had charge-sheeted 11 accused August 18, 2015.
PTI