Jharkhand Maoist leader Sraddha Biswas arrested in Kolkata, ₹15 lakh reward
Synopsis
Kolkata Police have nabbed Sraddha Biswas alias Bela — a senior Jharkhand Maoist regional committee member carrying a ₹15 lakh reward and 20-plus criminal cases — from north Kolkata's Cossipore area. On the same day, another Maoist, Madhai Patra, surrendered, publicly calling on his former comrades to return to mainstream society.
Key Takeaways
Sraddha Biswas alias Bela , a senior Maoist regional committee member, was arrested from Cossipore, Kolkata on 12 May .
She carried a reward of ₹15 lakh in Jharkhand and faced more than 20 criminal cases in the state.
Biswas had been active in Maoist activities since 2005 , primarily in East and West Singhbhum and Ghatshila .
Jharkhand Police are expected to travel to Kolkata to conduct further interrogation.
Separately, Madhai Patra of Hooghly district surrendered on the same day and appealed to fellow Maoists to join the mainstream.
Sraddha Biswas, alias Bela, a senior Maoist leader linked to Jharkhand's regional committee, was arrested by Kolkata Police from the Cossipore area in north Kolkata on Tuesday, 12 May. Biswas, against whom a reward of ₹15 lakh had been declared in Jharkhand, carries more than 20 criminal cases in that state and had been active in the Maoist movement since 2005.
The Arrest
Kolkata Police acted on a tip from a secret source to detain Biswas, a resident of Chakdaha in Nadia district of West Bengal, who had been operating as a member of the Maoist regional committee in Jharkhand. The reasons behind her visit to Kolkata remain unclear; police have not commented on her motive, and further details are expected to emerge through interrogation.
Kolkata Police Commissioner Ajay Nand confirmed at a press conference held at Alipore Bodyguard Lines on Tuesday afternoon that Jharkhand Police would also travel to Kolkata to interrogate Biswas. He added that her physical condition was reportedly not very good at the time of arrest.
Two Decades of Maoist Activity
Biswas had been primarily active in the Ghatshila, East Singhbhum, and West Singhbhum areas of Jharkhand since 2005. Her history with law enforcement dates further back — in 2004–05, her name was linked to a case in Belpahari, West Midnapore district, West Bengal, for which she was arrested and subsequently granted bail. After receiving bail, she did not return to West Bengal, instead continuing her activities in Jharkhand.
A Maoist Surrenders
In a parallel development, Madhai Patra, a resident of Jangipara in Hooghly district, surrendered to the police on the same day. Patra, who was first arrested in 2007, had returned to Jharkhand after securing bail and remained active in Maoist networks for years thereafter.
Police Commissioner Nand said Patra would be assisted under the state's surrender and rehabilitation scheme. Speaking at the press conference, Patra said:
Point of View
Received bail, and then disappeared into Jharkhand for two decades raises pointed questions about the bail-to-fugitive pipeline that has long frustrated counter-Naxal operations. The simultaneous surrender of Madhai Patra, and his public call for others to follow, is a rare optics win for the rehabilitation framework — but its credibility rests on whether the state actually delivers on reintegration promises, something past schemes have done inconsistently.
NationPress
9 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Sraddha Biswas alias Bela?
Sraddha Biswas, alias Bela, is a senior Maoist leader and member of the Maoist regional committee in Jharkhand. A resident of Chakdaha in Nadia district, West Bengal, she had been active in Maoist activities in Jharkhand since 2005 and carried more than 20 criminal cases and a ₹15 lakh reward against her.
Where and when was Sraddha Biswas arrested?
She was arrested by Kolkata Police from the Cossipore area in north Kolkata on Tuesday, 12 May. Police acted on information from a secret source; the exact reason for her presence in Kolkata remains unclear.
What areas was Bela active in?
Biswas was primarily active in the Ghatshila, East Singhbhum, and West Singhbhum areas of Jharkhand. Her Maoist activities date back to at least 2004–05, when she was also linked to a case in Belpahari, West Midnapore, West Bengal.
Who is Madhai Patra and why did he surrender?
Madhai Patra is a Maoist from Jangipara, Hooghly district, who surrendered to Kolkata Police on 12 May. First arrested in 2007, he had resumed Maoist activities in Jharkhand after getting bail. He cited changes in the organisation's norms and broader social change as reasons for wanting to return to mainstream life.
What happens next in the case?
Jharkhand Police are expected to travel to Kolkata to interrogate Sraddha Biswas. Police Commissioner Ajay Nand said further questioning would reveal how long she had been in Kolkata and why. Madhai Patra will be assisted under the state's surrender and rehabilitation scheme.
