NIA court sentences life imprisonment to 4 accused in 2014 Chhattisgarh naxal attack case

New Delhi [India], February 13 : A special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court has sentenced four accused to life imprisonment in the 2014 Tehakwada ambush case involving an attack on security forces by naxal cadres.
Mahadev Naag, Kawasi Joga, Dayaram Baghel and Maniram Madiya, hailing from Bastar and Sukma districts of Chhattisgarh, were the naxal members sentenced to life imprisonment. They were working under the supervision and direction of senior leaders of the proscribed terrorist organisation.

Eleven Central Reserve Police Force personnel, four state police personnel and one civilian were killed in the attack, carried out by 100 armed naxals in the area of Tongpal Police Station in Sukma district of Chhattisgarh. The naxals had ambushed a Road Opening Party (ROP) of the State police and CRPF personnel in March 2014.

The NIA investigations had revealed that the accused had also mobilised the Jan militias, local villagers and Sangam members for the attack. "They had led the ambush, exploded the IEDs, and fired upon the security personnel, in association with other members of the banned outfit. The assailants had killed the security personnel and looted their weapons," said the NIA.

The case was initially registered at the Tongpal police station under relevant sections of
Indian Penal Code, Arms Act, Explosives Substances Act and Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967.
The NIA had taken over the investigations after re-registering the case on March 28, 2014 and had chargesheeted 11 accused on August 18, 2015.