NIA Nabs Top Maoist Secretary And Armed Squad Member Linked To Abduction And Killing

Mumbai, Dec 20: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has arrested two absconding members of the banned CPI (Maoist) in connection with the abduction and murder of Dinesh Pusu Gawade in Maharashtra’s Gadchiroli district, officials said on Saturday.

Accused identified as senior Maoist operatives

The two accused have been identified as Raghu, also known by several aliases including Pratap, Irpa, Muddella and Sailu, a resident of Nizamabad district in Telangana, and Shankar Mahaka of Gadchiroli district. Both are alleged members of the banned CPI (Maoist) organisation and were part of the network involved in the killing, officials said.

Victim abducted and killed in November 2023

Gawade was abducted and murdered in November 2023 in Gadchiroli after Maoist cadres allegedly suspected him of being a police informer and of having links with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). The case was later taken over by the NIA, which began tracking the larger conspiracy and the role of senior Maoist leaders behind the killing.

Senior Maoist leader Raghu emerges as key conspirator

Investigators said one of the key figures to emerge during the probe was Raghu (55), a senior Maoist leader and Secretary of the South Gadchiroli Divisional Committee of the CPI (Maoist). He was apprehended in April 2025 during a coordinated operation by the Gadchiroli Police and CRPF’s 09 Battalion F-Coy in the Palli forest area of Bhamragarh taluka, south Gadchiroli.

Security forces arrest Raghu and associates

During the operation, security forces and Gadchiroli police also arrested three of Raghu’s associates, including his wife, Jaini Bhima Kharatam (alias Akhila). Investigations revealed that the group was engaged in reconnaissance activities in the area, allegedly as part of preparations for a planned offensive operation against security forces.

Raghu’s operational role detailed

Officials said Raghu held a senior leadership position within the CPI (Maoist)’s guerrilla organisation in one of its most active operational zones in central India. His responsibilities reportedly included coordination of armed cadres, planning of operations, and supervision of field logistics.

Decades-long Maoist involvement alleged

Active in Maoist activities across Telangana, Chhattisgarh, and Maharashtra since 1990, he is also alleged to have been involved, along with other Maoist cadres, in the attack that led to the killing of a C-60 commando during an encounter in the Dirangi-Fulnar forest on February 11, 2025.

Multiple criminal cases and reward on Raghu

Official records attribute Raghu to at least 77 criminal cases, including 34 armed encounters and 23 targeted killings. A reward of Rs 20 lakh had been declared for his apprehension prior to his arrest, officials added.

Raghu accused of authorising Gawade killing

According to officials, Raghu’s name also surfaced as a key figure in the murder of Gawade. While he may not have directly carried out the killing, investigators believe that, as a top-level Maoist leader, he authorised, planned and coordinated the operation, making him legally and operationally accountable in the NIA’s probe.

Second accused Shankar Mahaka arrested

The investigation also led to the arrest of the second accused, Shankar Bhima Mahaka (32), a member of the Bhamragarh Dalam (armed squad), who was apprehended by the Gadchiroli Police on September 13 this year in the Tadgaon forest area.

Mahaka caught during reconnaissance

Police said Mahaka was conducting reconnaissance at the time of his arrest, allegedly in preparation for carrying out a deadly attack. A resident of Paraynar village in Bhamragarh taluka, he was actively involved in violent activities including arson, murder, and landmine explosions.

Mahaka’s criminal history outlined

According to investigators, Mahaka served in the Maoist militia between 2016 and 2022, joined the Bhamragarh Dalam in 2021–22, and since 2022 had been operating from Paraynar and adjoining forest areas, gathering intelligence on police movements.

Arson and murder cases against Mahaka

Police records indicate Mahaka was involved in the arson of 19 vehicles worth Rs 2 crore on January 21, 2022, on the Dhodraj–Irpanar road, and in the murder of an individual in Pengunda in 2023. He faces a total of four criminal cases, including one each for arson and murder, and two other offences. Prior to his arrest, the Maharashtra government had announced a reward of Rs 2 lakh for information leading to his capture.

Both accused were taken into NIA custody from the jurisdiction of the Gadchiroli Police. The case was initially investigated by the Gadchiroli police before being transferred to the NIA in October 2024. The agency has since filed a chargesheet against four other accused, Doba Wadde, Ravi Pallo, Sattu Mahaka and Komati Mahaka, in January this year.

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Gawade, a resident of Laheri village in Bhamragarh taluka of Gadchiroli, was abducted and murdered in November 2023 by CPI (Maoist) cadres on suspicion of being a police informer and having links with the RSS. He had gone to Pengunda village to participate in a sports competition, where he was kidnapped and later assaulted with sharp-edged weapons, resulting in his death. A note was left at the crime scene by the assailants, accusing the victim of being a police informer. The assailants’ motive behind the killing was spreading terror among local villagers and intimidating them against sharing any information about Maoist activities and movements with security forces.

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