NIA chargesheets 4 Naxal operatives in Chhattisgarh

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Saturday chargesheeted four more CPI (Maoist) operatives in connection with the killing of a ‘gopniya sainik’ of the Bijapur district police in Chhattisgarh.The accused have been identified as Raju Kursam, Sukku Kursam, Shankar Kursam and Mannu Kursam. They have been booked under various provisions of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. The chargesheet has been filed before a court in Jagdalpur, officials said.With the latest chargesheet, the total number of accused indicted in the case has risen to eight. The agency had earlier chargesheeted four other CPI (Maoist) cadres in the same case.
Gopniya sainiks, also known as secret troopers, are local youth recruited by the police to assist in intelligence gathering and support anti-Naxal operations in the Bastar region.The victim, Chotu alias Kishan Kursam, was killed in December 2023 by members of the banned CPI (Maoist) organisation in Bijapur district. Investigators said the murder was carried out to spread fear among surrendered cadres and the local population. Chotu, a former CPI (Maoist) member, had surrendered before the Bijapur police and later joined the mainstream as a gopniya sainik.According to the probe findings, CPI (Maoist) cadres in the region were angered by a series of defections and had issued warnings to surrendered members to rejoin the organisation. They allegedly hatched a conspiracy to eliminate those who refused to return and continued to assist the police.The NIA took over the investigation in March 2024 and is continuing further probe into the case.