Thirteen years after the deadly Jhiram Ghati Naxal attack in Chhattisgarh, a Special National Investigation Agency (NIA) Court in Jagdalpur has convicted all 10 accused in the case.
The court found the accused guilty under various provisions of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), and Arms Act. The quantum of punishment has been reserved and is scheduled to be announced on September 16, 2026, according to defence lawyer Arvind Choudhary.
Editorial Insight
Key Highlights
Important points readers should notice.
Issue/Event: Conviction in the 2013 Jhiram Ghati Naxal attack case after 13 years.
Location: Jhiram Valley, Bastar, Chhattisgarh; verdict delivered by the Special NIA Court in Jagdalpur.
Authority/Organisation: National Investigation Agency and Special NIA Court, Jagdalpur.
Action Taken: Ten accused were convicted under provisions of the IPC, UAPA and Arms Act.
Impact: The verdict marks a major judicial development in one of Chhattisgarh's deadliest Maoist attacks and moves the case towards the sentencing stage.
The case relates to the May 25, 2013, Maoist ambush in Jhiram Valley in Bastar, where armed Maoists attacked a Congress convoy returning from the party's 'Parivartan Yatra' ahead of the 2013 Chhattisgarh Assembly elections.
The attack killed 29 people, including several senior Congress leaders, civilians and security personnel, and left more than 30 people injured. Among those killed were then Chhattisgarh Congress chief Nand Kumar Patel, his son Dinesh Patel, former Union minister Vidya Charan Shukla, former Leader of Opposition **Mahendra Karma, and Congress leader Uday Mudliyar.
According to prosecution accounts reported during the trial, Maoists first triggered a landmine as the convoy moved through the valley. The resulting blast disrupted the convoy, after which the attackers opened fire and used grenades.
Editorial Analysis
Why This Matters
The Jhiram Ghati attack was one of the most devastating Maoist attacks on a political convoy in India, killing a significant part of Chhattisgarh's Congress leadership. The conviction after more than 13 years brings the long-running case to a critical stage, with punishment now scheduled to be decided on September 16.
The NIA subsequently took over the investigation. The agency filed its initial chargesheet in 2014, naming several Maoist cadres in connection with the attack. The trial continued for years, with 101 witnesses examined during the proceedings.
The latest verdict marks a major judicial development in a case that has remained one of the most politically and security-sensitive episodes in Chhattisgarh's recent history.
Defence counsel Arvind Choudhary said the defence would consider challenging the conviction in a higher court after receiving the detailed judgment.
The court's September 16 sentencing order will determine the punishment for the 10 convicted accused.
