Asim Mandal arrested: West Bengal CM hails STF for nabbing top Maoist after 15 years
Synopsis
After more than 15 years evading security forces across three states, CPI (Maoist) Central Committee member Asim Mandal — with 55 criminal cases and a ₹2.20 crore bounty on his head — has been arrested by the Kolkata Police STF from a village in East Midnapore. West Bengal CM Suvendu Adhikari called it a major success and vowed zero tolerance for any revival of 'Red Terror'.
Key Takeaways
Kolkata Police STF arrested CPI (Maoist) Central Committee member Asim Mandal from Lalat, Patashpur, East Midnapore on 17 September 2026 .
Mandal had reportedly evaded law enforcement for more than 15 years across West Bengal , Jharkhand , and Odisha .
Nearly 55 serious criminal cases are registered against him across three states.
An award of ₹2.20 crore had been announced for information leading to his capture.
Maoist literature and electronic communication devices were seized from his possession.
West Bengal CM Suvendu Adhikari praised the STF and warned against any revival of 'Red Terror' in the state.
West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Thursday, 17 September 2026, congratulated the Special Task Force (STF) of Kolkata Police after it arrested wanted CPI (Maoist) leader Asim Mandal — also known by the aliases Akash, Timir, and Manoj — from Lalat in Patashpur, East Midnapore district. Mandal, a Central Committee member and Secretary of the West Bengal State Committee-I of the CPI (Maoist), had reportedly evaded law enforcement for more than 15 years across the forested belts of West Bengal, Jharkhand, and Odisha.
CM Adhikari's Statement
In a post on social media, Chief Minister Adhikari praised the STF for successfully tracking and detaining the veteran extremist. 'I commend the Officers and Personnel of the @KolkataPolice STF in successfully tracking and apprehending Asim Mandal @ Akash, Central Committee Member and Secretary of the West Bengal State Committee-I, CPI (Maoist), from Lalat, Patashpur, Purba Medinipur,' he said.
The Chief Minister also issued a stern warning to Left-Wing extremist networks. 'I want to make it categorically clear that the West Bengal Government will not tolerate any attempt to revive or expand the network of 'Red Terror' within our state borders. No extremist ideology will be allowed to jeopardize the safety and security of the People and jeopardize the development of our State. The law will take its strictest course to demolish any such audacious attempt,' Adhikari added.
What Was Recovered
According to police sources, two bags containing Maoist literature — including books and booklets — as well as electronic communication devices were seized from Mandal's possession at the time of his arrest. Investigators also noted that his wife, a resident of the Patashpur area and an alleged CPI (Maoist) activist, was arrested by the Kolkata Police STF in 2010 and remains in judicial custody.
Mandal's Background and Criminal Record
A native of Fulchak village under Chandrakona Police Station in West Midnapore district, Mandal reportedly became involved in Left-Wing extremist activities during his student years in the 1980s. He later joined the People's War Group and was active in the Sarenga and Goaltor regions of West Bengal, as well as the Gurabanda area of East Singhbhum district in Jharkhand.
According to security agencies' records, nearly 55 serious criminal cases are registered against him across Jharkhand, Odisha, and West Bengal, several of which relate to attacks on security forces and armed encounters in Jharkhand. An award of ₹2.20 crore had previously been announced for information leading to his capture.
Mandal played a pivotal role in the Lalgarh movement in West Bengal's Jangalmahal region and was appointed Secretary of the party's West Bengal State Committee in 2010. He also held responsibilities in the Bengal-Jharkhand-Odisha Regional Committee. Following the 2011 encounter killing of senior Maoist leader Kishanji, Mandal largely went underground, according to police sources.
Significance for Security Forces
Police officials have described the arrest as a significant breakthrough in ongoing efforts to dismantle the remnants of the Left-Wing Extremist network across the tribal and forested belts of West Bengal, Jharkhand, and Odisha. This comes amid a broader national strategy to neutralise senior Maoist commanders, with several high-value arrests and surrenders recorded over the past few years. The capture of a Central Committee-level operative of this seniority is relatively rare, and security analysts are likely to assess its impact on the organisation's coordination capabilities in the eastern region.
With Mandal now in custody, investigators are expected to focus on dismantling his network and tracing his recent movements across state lines.
Point of View
But the durability of the gains depends on what intelligence is extracted and how quickly investigators can map his network. The Jangalmahal region has seen periodic crackdowns before, only for the organisation to reconstitute itself at the state-committee level. CM Adhikari's public statement — emphatic and political in tone — signals a law-and-order posture ahead of the state's ongoing political contestation, but the real test lies in whether this arrest accelerates the dismantling of the Bengal-Jharkhand-Odisha corridor or remains an isolated success.
NationPress
17 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Asim Mandal and why was he wanted?
Asim Mandal is a senior CPI (Maoist) leader who served as a Central Committee member and Secretary of the West Bengal State Committee-I of the party. He was wanted in connection with nearly 55 serious criminal cases registered across Jharkhand, Odisha, and West Bengal, including attacks on security forces, and had evaded arrest for more than 15 years.
Where and when was Asim Mandal arrested?
Mandal was arrested by the Kolkata Police Special Task Force (STF) from Lalat in Patashpur, East Midnapore district, on 17 September 2026. He had been operating underground across the forested regions of West Bengal, Jharkhand, and Odisha.
What was the reward announced for Asim Mandal's capture?
A reward of ₹2.20 crore had been announced by authorities for information leading to Asim Mandal's arrest. The bounty reflected his status as one of the most-wanted Left-Wing Extremist operatives in eastern India.
What did West Bengal CM Suvendu Adhikari say about the arrest?
Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari praised the Kolkata Police STF for the operation and issued a stern warning, stating that the West Bengal government would not tolerate any attempt to revive or expand the 'Red Terror' network within the state's borders.
What was recovered from Asim Mandal at the time of his arrest?
Police recovered two bags containing Maoist literature — including books and booklets — as well as electronic communication devices from Mandal's possession following his arrest in Patashpur.
