STF Seizes Maoist Committee Member in Medinipur, Secures Two Bags of Materials

In a high‑profile raid at Patashpur, East Medinipur, Kolkata Police’s Special Task Force arrested Asim Mandal, a central committee member of the CPI (ML) and secretary of West Bengal’s Committee‑I. The operation, hailed by Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, culminated in the confiscation of two bags filled with Maoist literature, instructional booklets and electronic devices used for covert communication.

Mandal’s criminal dossier spans more than 55 serious cases across West Bengal, Jharkhand and Odisha, including attacks on security forces and involvement in the Redgarh movement of the Jungle‑Mahalla region. The STF’s success is seen as a major stride toward dismantling the left‑wing extremist network that has operated underground since the early 1980s.

Authorities also noted that Mandal’s spouse, a resident of Patashpur and alleged party operative, was previously detained by the STF in 2010 and remains under judicial custody. The government reiterated its zero‑tolerance stance toward any attempts to revive “red terror” in the state.