CPI (Maoist) Politburo member Prashant Bose dies in Ranchi jail

Ranchi, April 3: Prashant Bose, a senior Politburo member of the banned CPI (Maoist), died early Thursday morning at Birsa Munda Central Jail in Ranchi. He was over 75 years old.

Officials said he breathed his last around 4:00 AM. His body has been sent to Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) for post-mortem and other formalities.

Senior Maoist leader known as ‘Kishan Da’

A native of West Bengal, Bose—popularly known as ‘Kishan Da’—was among the most influential leaders in India’s Left-wing extremism movement.

He began his journey with the Maoist Communist Centre of India (MCCI), where he rose to become a top leader. After the merger of MCCI with People’s War (PW) in 2004, he became a Politburo member of the unified CPI (Maoist).

He also served on the Central Committee and was considered the second-most powerful leader in the organisation after General Secretary Nambala Keshav Rao.

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Arrest in 2021 after years underground

Bose was arrested on November 12, 2021, in a joint operation by Jharkhand Police and central security agencies in the Seraikela-Kharsawan district.

He had been underground for decades and was one of the most wanted Maoist leaders in the country. At the time of his arrest, a reward of ₹1 crore had been announced for his capture.

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His wife, Sheela Marandi—also a Maoist leader—was arrested along with him.

Security agencies had described his arrest as a breakthrough in anti-Naxal operations, given his strategic role in planning and organisational activities.

Key strategist in Maoist operations

Bose was considered a key ideologue and strategist within CPI (Maoist), with influence over operations across Jharkhand, Bihar, West Bengal, and parts of Odisha.

He played a significant role in expanding the organisation’s network and maintaining its leadership structure over the years.