Ranchi:
Top Maoist Misir Besra, who carried a reward of Rs 1 crore, was arrested from Jharkhand’s Dhanbad on Tuesday evening. Besra, a resident of Harladih in Giridih who was wanted in various cases related to Maoist activities in several states, was arrested along with two Maoist members – Mochhu and Saurabh (alias Gaurav) – and two villagers from the Giridih-Dhanbad border area.
According to security agencies, Besra has long been considered a key orchestrator of Maoist activities across Jharkhand, Bihar, Odisha, and Chhattisgarh. He had been on the security forces’ ‘most wanted’ list for years. Dozens of cases, including murder, attacks on security forces, extortion, and IED blasts, are registered against him.
The central government and various state governments had collectively announced a reward of Rs 1 crore for his capture.
Besra reportedly held significant influence, particularly in the Kolhan, Saranda, and Parasnath regions. He played a key role in formulating the organisation’s strategies and managing the Maoist network across different states.
His network had been steadily weakening following the surrender and arrest of several close associates in recent months, prompting security agencies to intensify their operations against him.
Security agencies believe that Besra’s arrest will prove to be a major setback for the Maoists operating in Jharkhand and across Eastern India. Officials expect that interrogation could reveal crucial information regarding the organisation’s top leadership, arms supply, extortion networks, safe houses, and other active Naxalites.
Mochhu and Saurabh are also identified as active members of the Maoist organisation.
The roles of the two villagers arrested alongside them are also being investigated. The police are working to determine their connection to the organisation and the nature of the assistance they were providing to the Maoists.
Earlier on Tuesday, 16 Maoists, with six of them carrying a combined bounty of Rs 39 lakh, surrendered before Jharkhand Police.
लातेहार, कोल्हान एवं सारंडा क्षेत्र में आतंक का पर्याय रहे 16 (RCM-01, ZCM-03 , SZCM-03, ACM-06 , Cadre-03) हार्डकोर इनामी नक्सलियों ने किया आत्मसमर्पण (2/2) pic.twitter.com/smqFda6EHC
— Jharkhand Police (@JharkhandPolice) July 28, 2026
Santosh Mahto alias Basudev Da alias Dilip, who was wanted in 128 cases and carrying a Rs 15 lakh reward on his head, was among those who surrendered. Two sub-zonal committee members and two area committee functionaries were among those who surrendered.
