Notorious Maoist Leader Caught in Varanasi After 13-Year Manhunt

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A senior member of the banned CPI outfit, Sitaram alias Vinay Ji, has been arrested by the Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) after a 13-year-long manhunt. The arrest took place at the Kashi railway station in Varanasi on Monday, following sustained intelligence gathering and surveillance. Sitaram, who had been evading arrest for over a decade, had frequently changed his identity and appearance, using various aliases such as Om Prakash and Dhanu. He was wanted in several serious cases, including murder and Naxal violence. According to the ATS, Sitaram had left his home in 1986 and allegedly joined the Maoist movement, becoming a zonal secretary of the CPI's central committee in 1990. He was also present at the meeting that led to the formation of the CPI in 2004. The ATS said Sitaram played a key role in the 2012 killing of Phoolmati, the wife of a village head in Aterdariya village in Ballia district. He was also allegedly involved in expanding the organisation's activities through mass mobilisation and held meetings with overground workers operating in urban areas. Sitaram is wanted in multiple cases in various districts of Bihar, including those related to bank robbery, murder, assault, and illegal possession of arms. The police said further questioning of Sitaram is underway, and operations will continue against other members of the banned organisation identified during the interrogation. The arrest is a significant achievement for the ATS, which had been tracking Sitaram for over a decade. The police said a reward of ₹50,000 was declared on Sitaram, and a separate case was registered against him under provisions of the IPC, the Unlawful Activities Act, and the Arms Act. The probe in that case is currently being conducted by the National Investigation Agency.