Ranchi: State police are likely to seek custody of CPI (Maoist) central committee member Asim Mandal for questioning in cases including attacks on security forces, after he surrendered before the Kolkata police’s Special Task Force (STF), officers said.Mandal, who has aliases Akash and Timir, had been operating along the Jharkhand-West Bengal border after security forces intensified operations in the Saranda forests of West Singhbhum district. He moved to the Dalma region before surrendering in East Midnapore district on Thursday.Jharkhand IG (operations) Narendra Singh said on Friday that state police would seek Mandal’s remand in cases registered against him and collect evidence linked to the alleged crimes. “This process would continue for quite a number of days,” he said.Police have said around 55 cases are registered against Mandal in Jharkhand, mainly in West Singhbhum. The Jharkhand govt had announced a reward of Rs 1 crore. Odisha had announced an additional reward of Rs 1.20 crore, according to reports.Investigators have identified at least 15 cases in which Mandal is accused of involvement in attacks that caused deaths or injuries to security personnel.He has been named in serial IED blasts under Tonto police station limits on Jan 11 and 12, 2023, in which nine CoBRA personnel were injured. He is also accused in the Karaikela firing case in Seraikela-Kharsawan, which killed constable Lakhindra Munda and villager Sundar Swaroop Mahto.Mandal has also been named in the Aug 11, 2023, Tonto encounter, in which CRPF constable Sushant Kumar was killed and havildar Munna Lal Yadav injured.
