Death sentences for ten in Chhattisgarh Maoist ambush that killed Congress leaders

A Chhattisgarh court has convicted and sentenced all ten accused to death in the Jhiram Valley Maoist attack of May 2013, bringing a significant legal conclusion to one of the country's most high-profile militant incidents.

The attack, which occurred on May 25, 2013, claimed 27 lives, among them prominent Congress figures Vidya Charan Shukla, Nand Kumar Patel, and Mahendra Karma. The convoy was targeted while traveling through a forested stretch in the state's mineral-rich Bastar region, considered a stronghold of Communist insurgent groups.

The Maoist attack represented a significant security challenge for authorities and triggered widespread condemnation across the political spectrum. The incident underscored the persistent threat posed by left-wing extremist groups operating in India's central and eastern regions.

The convictions follow an extended investigation and judicial process spanning over a decade. The death sentences represent a notable legal outcome in cases involving Maoist violence, which has historically claimed thousands of lives across multiple states including Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, and Odisha.

The verdict is likely to face appeals in higher courts, as is standard procedure in capital punishment cases under Indian law.