Fugitive Maoist leader wanted for heinous crimes in Jharkhand held in Yavatmal

NAGPUR: After years on the run, 47-year-old wanted Maoist leader Tulsi, also known as Dilip Mahato, was arrested on Tuesday in Yavatmal district, 154 km from Nagpur, following an extensive intelligence-led operation. According to Jharkhand police records, Mahato is named in at least seven serious cases, including bombings targeting police vehicles and multiple murders.

Acting on credible inputs, police learned that Mahato had fled Jharkhand and was hiding in Yavatmal. The information was promptly relayed to superintendent of police Kumar Chinta, who swiftly mobilised a confidential network to initiate an extensive search operation.

Employing advanced surveillance technology and leveraging local informants, authorities traced Mahato to a stone crusher site in Pandharkawada, located along the Nagpur-Hyderabad highway. Given the gravity of the case, a special police team was deployed to apprehend him. During the operation, Mahato attempted to mislead officers by presenting a forged Aadhaar card, but his suspicious behaviour led to his immediate detention.

Upon interrogation, Mahato confessed to his real identity and his long-standing involvement in Maoist activities. Investigations revealed that the 47-year-old had joined the Maoist movement in 1993 and rose to become the divisional commander of the ‘Bhitiya Dalam’ in 1997, leading a 12-member armed squad. Over the years, he was implicated in a series of violent incidents, including attacks on security forces, extortion, train derailments that claimed multiple lives, and destruction of government property. To verify his confession and establish his criminal background, Yavatmal police coordinated with their counterparts in Jharkhand, including the superintendent of police in Hazaribagh and relevant local police stations. It was also discovered that Mahato had been working as a truck driver in Yavatmal under a false identity using a forged Aadhaar card.

Confirming the arrest, SP Chinta stated on Wednesday that the investigation is being conducted in close coordination with Jharkhand authorities. “Mahato will soon be handed over to Jharkhand police for further legal proceedings,” he added.