NIA chargesheets Maoist operative in targeted killing of Indian Army personnel in Chhattisgarh

Raipur, June 7
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has filed a charge sheet against a Maoist operative in connection with the targeted killing of Indian Army personnel Motiram Achala in Chhattisgarh, the agency said in a statement on Saturday.

The accused, Ashu Korsa, a resident of Bijapur district in Chhattisgarh, has been chargesheeted under multiple sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including Section 302 (murder) read with 120B (criminal conspiracy), and various provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act -- Sections 16 (terrorist act), 18 (conspiracy), 20 (membership of terrorist gang or organisation), 38 and 39 (supporting a terrorist organisation).

The chargesheet was filed before the NIA Special Court in Jagdalpur.

According to the NIA, investigations revealed that Korsa was part of a larger conspiracy hatched by the proscribed terrorist outfit, the CPI (Maoist), to eliminate Achala, who was visiting his native village at the time of the attack.

On February 25, 2024, Achala was shot dead in full public view by armed Maoist cadres while he was attending a local fair in Useli village, located in the Amabeda area of Kanker district, along with his family.

The brutal killing sent shockwaves through the region.

The case was initially registered by local police but was handed over to the NIA on February 29, 2024, due to its national security implications.

During its probe, the agency found that Ashu Korsa was an active armed cadre of the Kuyemari Area Committee under the North Bastar Division of the CPI (Maoist).

The investigation further established that Korsa, along with another senior Maoist leader, had identified Achala and planned his assassination as part of a calculated move to terrorise the local population and deter individuals with any association with security forces.

The NIA arrested Korsa in December last year in connection with the conspiracy, and stated that further investigations are underway to identify other conspirators and build a complete picture of the Maoist network involved in the operation.