Jagdalpur: Nearly 11 years after a Maoist ambush targeting a police party in Kanker district, a court has convicted five members of the banned organisation and awarded them varying terms of rigorous imprisonment.
The Additional District and Sessions Court in Kanker convicted senior Maoist leader Prabhakar alias Balmuri Narayan Rao, his wife Raje Kange alias Malti alias Nirmala, and three other accused—Ramesh Kumar Kumeti, Shyamnath Usendi and Chinturam Tamrakar—in connection with the 2015 Bhainsgaon-Nagarmari hill attack.
Prabhakar, a senior leader associated with the Dandakaranya Special Zonal Committee (DKSZC), and Raje Kange, who held the rank of DVCM, were sentenced to seven years of rigorous imprisonment each under relevant provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). The court also imposed fines on them.
Ramesh Kumar Kumeti and Shyamnath Usendi were sentenced to five years of rigorous imprisonment each, while Chinturam Tamrakar was awarded two years of rigorous imprisonment under the applicable provisions.
The case relates to Crime No. 108/2015 registered at Korar Police Station and concerns a Maoist attack on security personnel in the Bhainsgaon-Nagarmari hill area.
Court Finds Accused Guilty on Basis of Evidence
According to the court records, the incident took place on September 7, 2015, between approximately 4 p.m. and 10:15 p.m. in the Bhainsgaon-Nagarmari hill region of Kanker district.
The prosecution said that the accused, along with other Maoist cadres, had gathered in the area with the intention of attacking the police party, killing security personnel and looting their weapons. The Maoists opened indiscriminate fire on the security team during the encounter.
The prosecution produced witnesses and documentary evidence before the court during the trial. After examining the material placed on record, the court concluded that the involvement of the five accused had been established.
Charges in the case were framed under various provisions of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), Arms Act and UAPA. Some other accused named in the case are reportedly absconding, and separate legal proceedings are to be pursued against them.
Seven-Year Sentence for Maoist Couple
The court sentenced Prabhakar alias Balmuri Narayan Rao and Raje Kange alias Malti alias Nirmala to two years of rigorous imprisonment each under Section 147 of the IPC. They were additionally sentenced to seven years of rigorous imprisonment for each offence under Sections 38(2) and 39(2) of the UAPA. The court ordered the sentences to run concurrently.
The verdict marks a significant development in the prosecution of senior Maoist cadres, particularly because Prabhakar was considered one of the senior leaders of the insurgent organisation operating in the Bastar region.
Three Other Maoists Also Convicted
The court sentenced Ramesh Kumar Kumeti and Shyamnath Usendi to five years of rigorous imprisonment each under Section 19 of the UAPA. Chinturam Tamrakar was sentenced to two years of rigorous imprisonment under Section 212 of the IPC.
Custody Period to Be Adjusted Against Sentences
The court has taken into consideration the period already spent by the convicts in judicial custody. As per the records, Prabhakar remained in judicial custody from December 23, 2024, and had completed 624 days in custody by September 7, 2026. Raje Kange and Shyamnath Usendi had spent 604 days in judicial custody from January 12, 2025. Similarly, Chinturam Tamrakar and Ramesh Kumar Kumeti had spent 521 days in judicial custody from April 5, 2025.
The court directed that the period already spent in judicial custody be set off against the respective sentences in accordance with the applicable provisions of criminal procedure.
Police Call Verdict a Significant Development in Anti-Maoist Campaign
Kanker police officials described the verdict as an important development in the continuing fight against Maoist insurgency in the Bastar region.
According to police, it is the first case in the ongoing anti-Maoist campaign in which a senior Maoist leader has received a court sentence. Officials said Prabhakar and Raje Kange had remained active in the Maoist organisation for several years and were linked to numerous serious criminal cases.
Police said around 60 cases had been registered against the Maoist couple over the years. Their alleged involvement included attacks on security forces, killings of police personnel and informers, and executions carried out through Maoist-run so-called Jan Adalats (people’s courts).
Several Serious Cases Linked to Maoist Couple
Investigators had also linked Prabhakar and Raje Kange to a number of serious incidents in Kanker and neighbouring areas. These included the alleged killing of police informer Durga Aanchala at Bethiya Chowk, the killing of a policeman in the forests of Albaras village, and the alleged murder of a villager after Maoists entered his house in Tottahar village.
Police also cited their alleged involvement in a police-Maoist encounter in the Hidur forest hills and in a killing following a Maoist Jan Adalat at Gome village in Narayanpur district.
The 2015 Bhainsgaon-Nagarmari incident was among the cases in which police gathered evidence against the accused. Following the attack, a case was registered against Prabhakar, Raje Kange and several other Maoist cadres.
Who Is Maoist Leader Prabhakar?
Prabhakar Rao alias Balmuri Narayan Rao was considered a senior Maoist leader operating in the Dandakaranya region. Security forces arrested him in 2024 during an anti-Maoist operation in Kanker district.
Police personnel reportedly laid a cordon in the Antagarh police station area and apprehended him during the operation.
A reward of Rs 25 lakh had been announced for information leading to his capture. His wife, Raje Kange, also carried a reward of ₹8 lakh, according to police.
Prabhakar was identified by security agencies as a senior leader of the DKSZC, one of the key Maoist organisational structures operating in the region. Raje Kange was identified as a Maoist leader holding DVCM rank.
Evidence Collected During Investigation
Kanker police said several important pieces of evidence relating to the couple’s alleged involvement in the 2015 Korar-area attack were collected during the investigation.
The prosecution subsequently placed the evidence before the court along with witness testimony and other documentary material. Following examination of the evidence, the court found the five accused guilty and pronounced the sentences.
Kanker Superintendent of Police Nikhil Rakhecha said the couple had been named in around 60 criminal cases. “Several important pieces of evidence related to the couple’s role in the 2015 Korer attack were recovered during the investigation. Based on this evidence, the court convicted and sentenced them,” Rakhecha said.
