Kolkata, September 17 (Daily Kiran) : West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari congratulated the Kolkata Police‘s Special Task Force (STF) for their successful operation on Thursday. The STF apprehended Asim Mandal, also known as Akash, Timir, or Manoj, in the Patashpur area of East Medinipur district.
In a statement shared on social media, the Chief Minister praised the STF officers and personnel for their efforts in capturing Mandal, who is reported to be a member of the Central Committee of the CPI (Maoist) and the Secretary of its West Bengal State Committee-I. This arrest is seen as a major achievement, as Mandal had been evading security agencies for over 15 years in the jungles of West Bengal, Jharkhand, and Odisha.
Adhikari emphasized that the West Bengal government will not tolerate any attempts to re-establish or expand the network of “red terror” in the state. He stated, “No extremist ideology will be allowed to pose a threat to the safety and development of the state’s residents. Strict legal action will be taken against any such attempts.”
Following his arrest, police recovered two bags from Mandal containing Maoist literature, books, pamphlets, and electronic communication devices. Investigators noted that Mandal’s wife, who is reportedly a CPI (Maoist) activist, resides in the Patashpur area. She was arrested by the Kolkata Police STF in 2010 and is currently in judicial custody.
Authorities believe that this arrest marks a significant step towards dismantling the left-wing extremist network operating in the tribal and forest regions of West Bengal, Jharkhand, and Odisha. A reward of ₹2.2 crore had previously been announced for information leading to Mandal’s capture.
Mandal, a resident of Fulchak village in the Chandrakona police precinct, reportedly became involved in left-wing extremist activities during his student years in the 1980s. He later joined the People’s War Group and was active in the Sarenga and Goyalator regions of West Bengal, as well as in the Gurabanda area of East Singhbhum district in Jharkhand.
Records indicate that approximately 55 serious criminal cases have been filed against Mandal across Jharkhand, Odisha, and West Bengal, many of which involve attacks on security forces and encounters. He played a significant role in the Lalgarh movement in West Bengal and was appointed Secretary of the party’s West Bengal State Committee in 2010, while also holding key responsibilities in the Bengal-Jharkhand-Odisha regional committee.
Since the death of senior Maoist leader Kishanji in 2011, Mandal has largely operated underground.
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