Naxal leader on the run for 13 years arrested by UP ATS in Varanasi

After joining the Naxal movement, Sitaram worked with the Maoist Communist Centre and the People’s War Group (PWG), the ATS officials said.

In 1990, he was elevated to the post of the Second Central Committee’s zonal secretary, the officials said, adding that he was one of the key organisers of the organisation’s meeting which was held on September 21, 2004 following the merger of the Maoist Communist Centre and PWG. Also, he was responsible for expanding the CPI (Maoist) base in areas across eastern UP and Bihar through “mass movements”, they claimed.

The meetings organised by him included overground cadres who worked for the organisation in urban areas, the further said.

In 2012, Sitaram along with his associates, allegedly murdered Phoolmati, wife of then village head Musafir Chauhan in Sahatwar area of Ballia district. The group wanted to eliminate Chauhan suspecting him of being a police informer, but ended up killing his wife after the village head escaped, it was alleged. Sitaram was a key accused in the case.

A case under provisions of the Indian Penal Code was registered at the Sahatwar police station and a reward of Rs 50,000 was announced for Sitaram’s arrest.

According to the ATS, Sitaram managed to give police the slip on August 15, 2023, when his core team members Tara Devi, her father Lallu Ram, Satya Prakash, Ram Murat and Vinod Sahni were arrested during a meeting.

Literature related to Naxal ideology and weapons were recovered during the raid, it was said.

The ATS’s Lucknow branch had then lodged a case under stringent charges like Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA)against him and associates.

The case was later transferred to the National Investigation Agency (NIA).

Sitaram is also wanted in cases registered in Muzaffarpur, Banka and Sitamarhi districts of Bihar for alleged bank robbery, murder, assault, and illegal possession of arms.

The arrested accused will be interrogated and efforts are on to arrest other members of the organisation, the ATS said.