Who is Misir Besra? Last active Maoist Politburo member with ₹1 cr bounty, arrested after two decades on the run
Misir Besra, the last active Politburo and Central Committee member of the banned CPI (Maoist), was arrested in Jharkhand's Dhanbad district on Tuesday. Besra, who
Misir Besra, the last active Politburo and Central Committee member of the banned CPI (Maoist), was arrested in Jharkhand's Dhanbad district on Tuesday. Besra, who carried a reward of more than ₹1 crore, was apprehended in a joint operation by the Intelligence Bureau (IB), Jharkhand Police, CRPF and Jharkhand Jaguar in the Maniadih area near the Dhanbad-Giridih border. His arrest effectively brings an end to the active Politburo leadership of the CPI (Maoist), according to security officials, Hindustan Times reported. A four-decade journey in the Maoist movement A native of Pirtaand in Jharkhand, Besra joined the Maoist movement nearly four decades ago while studying in college in Dhanbad.
According to reports, he was drawn into the insurgency through the Mahajani movement and gradually rose through the ranks to become one of the organisation's most influential leaders. Over the years, he became a member of the CPI (Maoist)'s Central Committee and later its Politburo, the outfit's highest decision-making body. Also Read | Top Maoist leader, 60 others surrender in presence of Maharashtra CM Fadnavis Arrest, dramatic escape and years underground Besra was first arrested in September 2007 in Jharkhand's Khunti district. However, his detention lasted less than two years. In 2009, Maoists stormed the Lakhisarai court complex in Bihar and freed him in a dramatic jailbreak.
Following his escape, Besra operated from dense forest areas including Budha Pahad, Kolhan and Saranda, emerging as one of India's most wanted Maoist leaders. More than 150 criminal cases According to security agencies, Besra faces more than 150 criminal cases across Jharkhand, Bihar, Odisha and Chhattisgarh. The Investigation Agency (NIA) was also searching for him in two separate cases. The last active top Maoist leader Besra was the last remaining active member of the CPI (Maoist)'s Politburo and Central Committee. At its peak, the banned outfit had more than 40 Central Committee members. Over the years, most senior leaders have either been killed in encounters, arrested or surrendered.
In May 2025, former general secretary Nambala Keshava Rao alias Basavaraju was killed in an encounter, while Politburo member Dev surrendered before security forces in February 2026. Security agencies said Besra had consistently refused repeated appeals to surrender, despite efforts by the police and even his family. Arrest after intelligence-led operation The Intelligence Bureau had tracked Besra's movements for several months. Acting on inputs that he was travelling in a Tata Magic vehicle with associates, security forces launched a coordinated operation and intercepted him near the Dhanbad-Giridih border. Two close associates, Gaurav Hasda and Mehnat alias Mochu, were arrested along with him.
The BriefWire