NIA chargesheets two more in 2023 Chhattisgarh Assembly polls blast case

New Delhi, July 26 (IANS) The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has filed a supplementary chargesheet against two individuals in connection with the November 2023 Improvised Explosive Device (IED) blast that targeted a polling team in Chhattisgarh’s Gariyaband district.

The attack, designed and conspired by the banned CPI (Maoist) outfit, claimed the life of an Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) head constable and marked a violent attempt to disrupt the democratic process.

With the addition of Dhanesh Ram Dhruv, a government school headmaster, and Ramswrup Markam, the serving Sarpanch of Chhotegobra Panchayat, the total number of accused chargesheeted in the case now stands at 12.

The NIA had earlier filed its initial chargesheet in December 2024, naming ten individuals under case RC-05/2024/NIA/RPR. According to the agency’s findings, the blast was carried out in response to a poll boycott call issued by CPI (Maoist) and was executed by cadres of the outfit’s Gobra Dalam unit.

The attack occurred as a polling team, accompanied by security personnel, was returning from Badegobra village after completing polling duties during the state assembly elections.

The newly chargesheeted accused are alleged to have played key roles in facilitating the attack. Dhruv reportedly assisted Maoist cadres in preparing propaganda materials, including posters and banners calling for an election boycott.

Markam, meanwhile, is accused of procuring and supplying incriminating items such as wires, switches, and firecrackers used in assembling the IED.

NIA investigations have revealed that the plot was masterminded by senior CPI (Maoist) leaders—Central Committee members Ganesh Uikey and Manoj, along with Special Zonal Committee Member Satyam Gawade.

The execution relied heavily on logistical and financial support from overground workers (OGWs) in Badegobra and Chhotegobra villages. The agency took over the probe in February 2024 and continues to investigate the broader network behind the attack. Officials have indicated that further arrests and disclosures may follow as the inquiry progresses.

The case underscores the persistent threat posed by Maoist insurgency in poll-sensitive regions and the critical role of community-level collaborators in enabling such acts of violence.

--IANS

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