Internal Security/PolityGS-III· 1 min read
Jhiram Valley Maoist Attack Case: Death Penalty Awarded
Why in news?
A special NIA court in Chhattisgarh has termed the 2013 Jhiram Valley Maoist attack as a 'rarest of rare' case and awarded the death penalty to all 10 convicts.
Key points
- The attack, which occurred on May 25, 2013, claimed the lives of 27 people, including prominent Congress leaders.
- The NIA court, after considering aggravating and mitigating circumstances, found the case to be 'rarest of rare', deeming life imprisonment inadequate.
- The court referenced Supreme Court judgments in similar cases like Machhi Singh v. State of Punjab and Mohd. Ajmal Mohammad Amir Kasab v. State of Maharashtra.
- The report from the jail superintendent indicated that the convicts were physically and mentally healthy, with residences and agricultural land.
Background & context
The Jhiram Valley incident was a significant Maoist attack in Chhattisgarh that highlighted the challenges of Left-Wing Extremism (LWE) in India. The legal proceedings in such high-profile terror cases often involve complex judicial scrutiny regarding sentencing.
★ Prelims fact capsule
The Jhiram Valley Maoist attack killed 27 people, including senior Congress leaders.
✎ Mains relevance
GS Paper 3: Internal Security (Terrorism, Left-Wing Extremism), Law and Order.