Who is Misir Besra? Arrested Maoist leader wanted in 141 cases, carrying Rs 1 crore bounty | Ranchi News

RANCHI: Banned CPI (Maoist) politburo member Misir Besra, carrying a bounty of over Rs 1 crore on his head and wanted in 141 cases, has been arrested from Jharkhand’s Dhanbad district, police said on Wednesday.The 65-year-old Maoist leader, a resident of Madnadih village in Giridih district, was apprehended from the Maniadih area under Barwadda police station limits on Tuesday evening, a senior police officer said.Two other Maoists were also arrested during the operation, including one carrying a reward of Rs 15 lakh on his head, the officer added.“Besra alias Sagar Da alias Bhaskar Da was wanted in 141 cases related to Maoist activities in several states including Odisha, Jharkhand and West Bengal. He was carrying a bounty of over Rs 1 crore on his head,” the officer told PTI.Besra, the CPI (Maoist) central committee member, was influenced by Maoist leaders Prashant Da and Kishan Da during his school days and had started attending meetings of the banned organisation, according to the Jharkhand Police records.He took primary membership of the proscribed organisation in 1980.“In 1990, Kishan Da assigned him tasks related to press work and operations in Kolkata, and Besra held a sub-zonal level position,” another officer said.Who is Misir Besra?According to Jharkhand Police records, Misir Besra returned from Kolkata in 1992 and worked with a Santhali man named Rajesh to expand the banned organisation’s network in Ranchi and adjoining districts.Besra went on to form the South Chotanagpur committee of the outlawed outfit in 1997 and assisted Kishan Da in setting up the Jharkhand Regional Committee in 2000.The same year, he formed the first armed squad of the group in the Bundu area of Ranchi district under the leadership of a cadre identified as Milan.In 2003, Besra was appointed as a member of the central committee of the banned organisation.Besra has a daughter who works in Delhi and an 18-year-old son.Meanwhile, on Tuesday, 16 Maoists surrendered before the Jharkhand Police, with six of them carrying a combined bounty of Rs 39 lakh.Another senior police officer said Santosh Mahto, alias Basudev Da alias Dilip, who was wanted in 128 cases and carried a reward of Rs 15 lakh on his head, was among those who surrendered.Two sub-zonal committee members and two area committee functionaries were also among those who laid down arms, the officer added.