Senior Maoist leader Sraddha Biswas, also known as Bela, from Jharkhand was apprehended by Kolkata Police in the Cossipore area of north Kolkata. Bela, hailing from Chakdaha in Nadia district, is a member of the Maoist regional committee in Jharkhand and has been actively involved in the region for a significant period. Additionally, another Maoist named Madhai Patra, a resident of Hooghly district, voluntarily surrendered to the authorities.
A press conference was conducted at Alipore Bodyguard Lines on Tuesday afternoon, where Kolkata Police Commissioner Ajay Nand mentioned that further details could be extracted through the interrogation of the detained Maoist leader. Jharkhand Police is set to arrive in Kolkata for the interrogation process. It was noted that Bela’s health condition was not optimal, and she has been operating in Jharkhand since 2005, facing over 20 cases in the state with a bounty of Rs 15 lakh on her head.
Bela’s activities were primarily concentrated in the Ghatshila, East Singhbhum, and West Singhbhum areas. The Police Commissioner highlighted Bela’s previous involvement in a case in Belpahari, West Midnapore district, West Bengal, back in 2004-05, where she was also arrested. Despite being granted bail, Bela did not return to the state and was later apprehended in Kolkata following information from a confidential source.
Madhai Patra, another individual connected to Maoist activities, surrendered alongside Bela. Patra, a resident of Jangipara in Hooghly district, had a history of involvement in Maoist operations dating back to 2007. Expressing a desire to lead a normal life, Patra aims to reintegrate into society and avail himself of the surrender and rehabilitation program offered by the authorities.
