Jagdalpur, Chhattisgarh, September 16, 2026: A special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court in Jagdalpur has sentenced all 10 convicts to death in connection with the 2013 Jhiram Valley Maoist attack, one of the deadliest attacks on political leaders in Chhattisgarh.
The attack took place on May 25, 2013, when a convoy of Congress leaders returning from the party’s Parivartan Yatra was ambushed by Maoists in the Jhiram Valley area of Bastar. The assault resulted in the deaths of 29 people, including several prominent Congress leaders and security personnel. More than 30 people were also reported injured.
Among those killed were then Chhattisgarh Pradesh Congress Committee president Nand Kumar Patel and his son Dinesh Patel, former Leader of Opposition Mahendra Karma, former Union minister Vidya Charan Shukla and former Congress MLA Uday Mudaliyar.
The case was investigated by the NIA and subsequently tried before a special NIA court in Jagdalpur. After a lengthy legal process spanning more than a decade, the court on September 5 convicted all 10 accused who faced trial in the case. The court subsequently pronounced the death sentences on September 16.
The prosecution case concerned allegations that the accused were involved in the planning and execution of the Maoist attack. The convictions were based on evidence and witness statements presented during the trial.
The verdict comes more than 13 years after the attack and marks a significant development in the long-running case. The defence has indicated that the judgment and sentence may be challenged before a higher court.
The Jhiram Valley attack remains one of the most significant incidents associated with Maoist violence in Chhattisgarh and had a major impact on the state’s political landscape.
