{
  "id": 7945642,
  "title": "Jhiram valley Maoist attack: A verdict after 13 years but same questions linger on",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/17/jhiram-valley-maoist-attack-a-verdict-after-13-years-but-same",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-17T04:07:30.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Hindu",
    "slug": "the-hindu",
    "url": "https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/chhattisgarh/jhiram-valley-maoist-attack-a-verdict-after-13-years-but-same-questions-linger-on/article71438356.ece"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "On September 5, a special National Investigation Agency court in Chhattisgarh's Jagdalpur announced a verdict in the 13-year-old Jhiram Valley Maoist attack case. The incident, which killed 27 people, including senior Congress leaders, and injured over 30 others, came to a close after a long legal battle. The victims' families and top Congress leaders in the State expressed dissatisfaction with the verdict, citing three main concerns: the profile of those convicted, a possible political conspiracy not probed by the NIA, and the accountability of the then Bharatiya Janata Party government in Chhattisgarh. The NIA found 10 accused guilty in the attack, carried out by the banned Communist Party of India (Maoist), who triggered a landmine blast and engaged in indiscriminate firing, grenade lobbing, and killing. The main target of the attack, Maoists claimed, was Mahendra Karma, a former Opposition leader, for his role in the state-backed Salwa Judum movement against Maoist insurgency. Despite the backlash from human rights activists, Karma had political support from across the spectrum. The convicted Maoists include mostly lower-ranked commanders or armed guerrillas. The Congress party maintains that a massive political conspiracy lies behind the incident, which the NIA never investigated, while BJP leaders argue that if Congress leaders had evidence, they should have handed it to the NIA.",
  "summary": "A special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court in Jagdalpur, Chhattisgarh, has sentenced 10 convicts to death for their role in the 2013 Jhiram Valley Maoist attack. The attack, which occurred 13 years ago, targeted a Congress Parivartan Yatra convoy, killing 27 people and injuring over 35.\n\nThe convicts, who were found guilty under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, Arms Act, Explosive Substances Act, and Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, include two women, Pramila Modiyam and Sumitra Punem Modiyam. According to the NIA, the attack involved members of the banned Communist Party of India (Maoist) who triggered a landmine blast, blocking the route of the vehicles.\n\nThe defence has expressed dissatisfaction with the verdict and plans to challenge it in the high court. The NIA counsel confirmed that the court awarded the death penalty to all 10 convicts, whose names are Pramila Modiyam, Chaitu Lekam, Sumitra Punem Modiyam, Mukka Mandavi, Kosa Kavasi, Aayata Markam, Madkami Deva, Joga Madkami, Banjami Sanna, and Mahadev Nag.",
  "key_points": [
    "Jhiram Valley Maoist attack verdict announced after 13 years",
    "NIA convicts 10 accused in landmine blast and gunfire attack",
    "Congress dissatisfied with verdict, alleges political conspiracy"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 3,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "The Indian Express",
        "title": "10 get death in Jhiram Ghati attack but little solace for victim’s kin: ‘What about surrendered Maoists?’",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/16/10-get-death-in-jhiram-ghati-attack-but-little-solace-for-victims-kin",
        "published": "2026-09-16T23:50:45.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Hindustan Times",
        "title": "Jhiram Valley massacre: All 10 convicts get death penalty 13 years after Maoist attack in Chhattisgarh",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/17/jhiram-valley-massacre-all-10-convicts-get-death-penalty-13-years",
        "published": "2026-09-17T03:19:26.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}