Top Maoist leader Prashant Bose, 75, who was carrying a reward of Rs 1 crore, has been arrested in Jharkhand along with his wife, officials said on Friday, terming the arrest a "big achievement" for the security forces.
"He was the number two in the politburo of CPI (Maoist) and was heading the eastern regional division of the extremist outfit, also in-charge of the Naxal activities in Jharkhand, Bihar, Odisha and West Bengal. Following his arrest, the backbone of the Maoist has been broken," a senior official in the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) said.
He also said that this was a joint operation of CRPF, Jharkhand Police and Intelligence Bureau officials, and a huge success for all stakeholders.
Who is Prashant Bose?
Bose, alias 'Krishan Da', 75, was caught along with his wife Sheela Marandi, another senior Maoist leader, in Jharkhand on November 11 (Thursday).
The officials also said that he used to change his locations frequently and never used any mobile phone to avoid detection.
"He was spotted by the intelligence officials but he never stayed in an area for a long time. Recently, he was operating from the Saranda forest in Jharkhand," an official said, adding that the police of Jharkhand, Odisha, West Bengal and Andhra Pradesh were tracking his movements for a long time.
A number two in the extremist outfit, he also used to head the Maoist Communist Centre of India which he merged with CPI-ML (People's War) to form the CPI (Maoist) in 2004.
His wife Sheela Marandi was reportedly the only woman member of the decision-making body central committee of the CPI (Maoist).
Bose was known as the intellectual guru of the cadre belonging to Jadavpur in Kolkata and he was caught because the forces had his details... his arrest was made possible because of the hard work of the state intelligence units of Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh, a CRPF official said.
Sharing the details of the arrests of Naxals made by the this year, the force said that 13 ultras were neutralised in encounters while 603 others were arrested, while 486 surrendered before the security forces or state police.
A senior Naxal leader Dubasi Shankar who went by the name of Ramesh in the Maoist party was arrested along with his associate by Odisha police near Biparguda village in September this year.
Dubasi Shankar, a native of Medak district, was carrying a cash reward of Rs 20 lakh, and was the member of the Andhra Orissa Special Zonal Committee who was associated with Maoist party for nearly three decades.
(With inputs from IANS)
