Chhattisgarh Maoist attack: 10 convicts sentenced to death 13 years after massacre

On May 25, 2013, a devastating attack by Maoists on a Congress party convoy in Chhattisgarh claimed 27 lives, including several high-ranking party officials, and left 38 others injured. The incident, known as the Jhiram Ghati attack, targeted Congress leader Mahendra Karma, who was a key figure in the formation of the anti-Maoist militia Salwa Judum.

The attackers, believed to be part of the banned Communist Party of India (Maoist), meticulously planned their assault, which involved triggering a landmine blast and surrounding the convoy for nearly two hours with gunfire and grenades. The 10 convicted Maoists, including Pramila Modiyam, Chaitu Lekam, and Madkami Deva, were sentenced to death for criminal conspiracy and murder in a special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court in Jagdalpur, Bastar district.

The remaining 28 accused, including prominent Maoist leaders such as Thippiri Tirupathi, Barse Deva, and Ganesh Uikey, are currently listed as wanted. The trial, which lasted over a decade, involved more than 300 hearings and concluded with the NIA court's judgment on September 5, followed by the sentencing on Wednesday.