In a significant achievement in Jharkhand’s fight against Naxals, Giridih police have captured Ajay Mahto, also known as Tiger or Basudev, a senior Maoist leader with a bounty of Rs 25 lakh. Mahto, a member of the banned CPI (Maoist)’s Special Area Committee, was a prime target for security forces due to his involvement in numerous criminal activities, including murder, attacks on police, extortion, and IED blasts.
Intelligence reports suggested that Mahto had shifted from the Giridih forest to the plains. Acting on this information, a joint team of Giridih Police, CRPF, and CoBRA battalion conducted a successful cordon-and-search operation in the Harladih area, leading to his arrest. Weapons and ammunition were seized from him during the operation.
Hailing from Nawadih village in Giridih district, Mahto was closely associated with top Maoist leader Misir Besra, who carries a reward of Rs 1 crore. He played a pivotal role in overseeing Maoist activities in the Parasnath region and expanding their extortion network.
Mahto is facing a slew of criminal cases across various districts, including Giridih, Bokaro, Dhanbad, and Hazaribagh, involving charges such as murder, attacks on security personnel, IED explosions, extortion, and network expansion. The Jharkhand government has approved his prosecution under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and other stringent laws.
His involvement in the high-profile 2012 murder case of P.C. Sharma, the then General Manager of Bharatvarshiya Digambar Jain Tirth Kshetra Committee at Madhuban, has also been noted. Mahto allegedly ran an extortion racket targeting construction companies, crusher operators, and businesses in the coal belt areas of Giridih and Bokaro.
Authorities anticipate that Mahto’s arrest will significantly impact Maoist operations in Jharkhand’s Parasnath region. Police are currently interrogating him to gather vital intelligence on the Maoist network, active members, and arms caches in the area.
