PATNA (India), July 29 — Indian security forces have arrested a Maoist leader believed to be one of the last senior members of a decades-long insurgency in the country, officials said Wednesday.

In March, New Delhi declared victory over the  Maoist-inspired movement, which at its peak controlled nearly a third of India with an estimated 15,000 to 20,000 fighters.

Security forces have continued to pursue the movement’s remaining operations in several states.

Misir Besra, a central committee member of the banned Communist Party of India (Maoist), was arrested Tuesday evening in the eastern state of Jharkhand, officials said.

“On the basis of intelligence inputs and information received from other sources, Central Reserve Police Force and Jharkhand Police in a joint operation arrested Misir Besra, a top Maoist on the wanted list,” a senior police officer who asked not to be named told AFP.

The authorities had offered a bounty of 10 million rupees (RM425,350) for information on Besra, who was captured in the forests of coal-rich Dhanbad district.

Since 2024, hundreds of Maoist rebels have been killed by the security forces, according to the Indian government. — AFP