Raipur, Sep 18 Maoists planned the deadly 2013 Jhiram Valley attack in Chhattisgarh's Bastar region around three months in advance, surveyed the Sukma-Jagdalpur highway, selected the ambush site and conducted a rehearsal days before striking, the National Investigation Agency probe has revealed.
The probe details into the May 25, 2013 attack are contained in the order of a special NIA court in Jagdalpur, which on Wednesday sentenced 10 accused to death in the case. The order was uploaded on Friday.
The court order said evidence clearly indicated the attack was "pre-planned and carried out deliberately", and aggravating and mitigating circumstances placed before it made the case fall within the 'rarest of rare' category.
The attack on the Congress' Parivartan Yatra, travelling from Sukma to Jagdalpur, killed 27 people, including several senior leaders.
Those killed included then state Congress president Nand Kumar Patel, his son Dinesh Patel, former LoP in Assembly Mahendra Karma, former Union minister Vidya Charan Shukla and former MLA Uday Mudliyar.
The Maoists planned the attack at a 'South Regional Unified Command' meeting between February 16 and 25 that year, and formed a special team to execute the operation, the probe found.
Those sentenced to death are Pramila Modiyam (25), Chaitu Lekam (25), Sumitra Punem alias Aayti Modiyam (40), Mukka Mandavi (40), Kavasi Kosa alias Kosaram (30), Aayata Madkam (35), Madkami Deva (35), Joga Madkami (35), Banjami Sanna (35) and Mahadev Nag (28).
Senior Maoist leaders Thippiri Tirupati alias Devji and Barse Sukka alias Deva, who have surrendered in Telangana, are among 27 absconding accused.
As per the court order, the NIA investigation found that Deva, then a member of Darbha Divisional Committee, was to conduct the operation.
Firing was carried out from a position on the hill overlooking the spot, and victims were shot from close range, with 206 bullet marks being found on the vehicles, it said.
The evidence showed that Maoists were specifically searching for Salwa Judum leader Mahendra Karma, Congress leader Nand Kumar Patel and kin, it said.
Karma identified himself at the scene and urged the attackers not to kill innocent people, despite which he was shot at close range and his face smashed with stones, it said.
The Maoists inflicted injuries on his dead body with a knife, with a post mortem examination finding 69 wounds, the court order said.
The NIA found that the Maoist organisational structure in Chhattisgarh operated under 'Dandakaranya Special Zonal Committee', while Jhiram Valley was under Darbha divisional committee of South Regional Unified Command, the order said.
As part of the preparations, members of Kanger Valley Local Committee, including Sonadhar, and Sumitra, Mahadev Nag and Mukka Mandavi (these three have been convicted)-- along with Jan Militia members, Sangham members and other associates, held several meetings focusing on arranging food, accommodation and logistics for cadre set to come to Jhiram Valley.
Around 25 sacks of rice, each weighing about 50 kg, were collected from Koleng village and stored in Nag's house in Kandanar and handed over to ultras on May 23.
Maoists surveyed Sukma-Jagdalpur highway, identified a suitable location, and held a rehearsal in a forest near Ekkam-Chakpal six to seven days before the incident under leaders like Deva and Vinod, the order said.
On the nights of May 22 and 23, some 100 Maoists, armed with AK-series rifles, SLRs, LMGs, .303 rifles, grenades and country-made firearms, and Jan Militia members from Kanger Valley established temporary command centres on both sides of the road, the NIA said.
The Maoists knew Congress leaders like Karma, a prominent leader of the Salwa Judum anti-Maoist campaign, would be part of Parivartan Yatra.
On May 25, at around 4 pm, when the Congress convoy passed through Tongpal and reached a point 13 km beyond Jhiram Valley, an explosion took place and Maoists opened fire from both sides.
Around 150-200 Maoist cadres, including men and women, were involved in the attack, during which nine AK-47 rifles, seven INSAS rifles, four 9-mm pistols and two SLRs were also looted, the NIA found.
After the firing temporarily stopped, Maoists took Nand Kumar Patel, his son Dinesh, their driver Dasharam Sidar and then Congress MLA Kawasi Lakhma to a densely forested area.
Lakhma told investigators the Maoists surrounded the group and questioned them about their identities. Patel identified himself as the state Congress president, following which he and his son were tied up, while Lakhma and the driver were allowed to leave.
The driver testified that Lakhma was initially reluctant to go to Keshloor, but Patel insisted. During the journey, Lakhma repeatedly received phone calls and spoke in Gondi, repeatedly saying "10-15".
When Patel asked him to speak in Hindi and explain what it meant, Lakhma said "diesel-diesel", the NIA said. The witness also stated that Lakhma and Maoist Vinod conversed in Gondi.
About an hour later, Patel and Dinesh were shot from behind, while Lakhma and the driver travelled by motorcycle to Darbha police station, according to the probe.
The case, registered at Darbha police station under IPC, Arms Act, Explosive Substances Act and UAPA, was handed over to NIA two days after the incident.
