Anti-terror agency chargesheets 5 Maoist operatives for murder of Army jawan

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has filed a chargesheet against five Maoist operatives for the killing of an Indian Army personnel in Chhattisgarh's Kanker district in 2023.

In its supplementary chargesheet before the NIA Special Court in Jagdalpur, the anti-terror agency named Bhawan Lal Jain, Suresh Kumar Salam, Shailendra Kumar Baghel, Anduram Salam, and Sonu Hemla under the IPC, Arms Act, and Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.

The case is related to the murder of Army jawan Motiram Achala, who was gunned down by armed Maoists at a village fair in Amabeda in February 2023 while he was home on leave.

According to the NIA probe, Jain, Salam, Baghel, and Anduram acted as sleeper cells of the CPI (Maoist), while Hemla was part of the Kuyemari Area Committee of the North Bastar Division. Along with a senior Maoist leader, they allegedly identified Achala and executed the attack in a crowded local bazaar to spread fear among villagers.

All five accused were arrested in March this year. Earlier, in June, the NIA had chargesheeted another accused, Ashu Korsa, after taking over the investigation from local police in February 2024.

The agency said further investigation into the wider conspiracy is underway.

- Ends