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Jagdalpur: The Special NIA Court in Jagdalpur on convicted all 10-surviving accused in the nearly 13-year-old Jhiram Valley massacre case, marking a major development in one of the deadliest Maoist attacks in Chhattisgarh.
Special NIA Court Judge Ajay Singh Rajput, hearing the case at the District and Sessions Court in Jagdalpur, pronounced the verdict on September 5. The court has fixed September 16 for determining and pronouncing the sentences of the convicted accused.
The verdict is being viewed as a significant development for the families of the victims, who have been awaiting the outcome of the prolonged legal proceedings for nearly 13 years.
During the trial, the prosecution examined 101 witnesses before the court. Senior advocate Dinesh Panigrahi represented the prosecution on behalf of the government.
Panigrahi confirmed that the Special NIA Court had found all 10 accused guilty. According to the case records, the NIA registered the matter as FIR No. 06/2013, invoking several provisions of the Indian Penal Code, including Sections 147, 148, 149, 341, 121, 121A, 122, 307, 302, 427, 396, 397 and 120B.
The case also involved charges under Sections 25 and 27 of the Arms Act, Sections 3, 4 and 5 of the Explosives Act, and Sections 16, 18, 20, 38(2), 39(2) and 40(2) of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).
The court will take up the sentencing of the convicted accused on September 16.
Defence lawyer Arvind Chaudhary confirmed that all 10 accused had been convicted by the NIA court. He said the court had fixed September 16 for sentencing.
Expressing dissatisfaction with the verdict, Chaudhary said the defence would challenge the decision before the High Court.
Initially, legal proceedings in the Jhiram Valley massacre case were initiated against 11 accused. One of the main accused died during the trial, following which proceedings continued against the remaining 10.
The NIA completed its investigation and subsequently filed a chargesheet in the case. After nearly 13 years of proceedings, the Special NIA Court on September 5 delivered its verdict against all 10 surviving accused.
Those convicted are Pramila Modiyam, Chaitu Lekam alias Munna, Sumitra, Punem Modiyam, Mukka Mandavi, Kosa Kawasi alias Kosaram, Ayat Markam, Madkami Deva, Jog Madkami, and Banjami Sena alias Chamru alias Denga Mahadev.
The Jhiram Valley massacre took place on May 25, 2013, when Maoists ambushed the convoy of the Congress party’s Parivartan Yatra in the Jhiram Valley area of Darbha. The convoy was returning from Sukma when it was targeted in what was described as a meticulously planned attack.
The attack claimed the lives of 32 people, including several senior Congress leaders, while many others were injured. Among those killed were former Union Minister Vidyacharan Shukla, former Leader of Opposition Mahendra Karma, then Chhattisgarh Pradesh Congress Committee president Nand Kumar Patel, and his son Dinesh Patel.
The incident sent shockwaves across Chhattisgarh and is regarded as one of the biggest political attacks carried out by Maoists in the country.
Two days after the attack, on May 27, 2013, the then Congress-led Central Government handed over the investigation to the National Investigation Agency (NIA).
The agency registered an FIR against more than 150 people, including around 40 key accused, and arrested 11 persons in connection with the case. One of the accused died during the trial, while proceedings continued against the remaining 10.
Saturday’s verdict marks a major milestone in the nearly 13-year-old case. The next significant stage will be the sentencing hearing scheduled for September 16, when the court is expected to decide the punishment for the 10 convicted accused.
