The security forces achieved a major breakthrough after arresting senior Maoist leader Misir Besra in Jharkhand's Dhanbad district. Officials from the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and Jharkhand Police confirmed that Besra was taken into custody on Tuesday during a security operation. He was the last active Central Committee (CC) and Politburo member of the banned CPI (Maoist) who remained at large. Authorities had announced a reward of more than ₹1 crore for information leading to his arrest.

Security personnel arrested Besra in the Tundi-Mandiya forest area near the Dhanbad-Giridih border. Officials said he was attempting to escape from the area while security forces carried out an operation in the forest. Along with Besra, two of his associates, Gaurav Hasda and Mochu, were also arrested during the operation.

Officials described the arrest as a significant development in the fight against Left-Wing Extremism. They said no active Central Committee member of the banned CPI (Maoist) now remains outside the reach of security agencies. At the peak of its influence, the Maoist organisation had more than 40 members in its Central Committee. Over the years, security forces either arrested, killed or secured the surrender of the remaining 21 active Central Committee members. Besra remained one of the few senior leaders who consistently refused to surrender despite repeated efforts by security agencies.

An official familiar with the operation explained how the arrest took place. He said, "He was trapped in the jungle area on the foothills of the Parasnath temple. At around 9 pm, he was trying to flee the jungle due to the massive deployment of forces and yesterday’s surrender of his key associates. He has been caught alive after more than two decades."

Officials said the large deployment of security personnel in the area increased pressure on Besra during the operation. The surrender of some of his close associates a day earlier also weakened his position. As he attempted to escape through the forest, security personnel surrounded him and arrested him alive. Officials described the arrest as an outcome of a long and sustained operation against Maoist activities in the region.

Besra's family also reacted to the development. His son, Siddharth Besra, said he had not received any formal information about his father's arrest at the time of speaking to the media. He revealed that security agencies had approached the family several times in the past and requested them to persuade the Maoist leader to surrender.

Recalling the latest visit by the police, Siddharth said, "Just 15 days ago, the police had come and asked me to write another letter requesting him to surrender. I have not seen him in 20 years but am glad that the forces have caught him alive." His statement highlighted the repeated efforts made by security agencies to encourage Besra to give himself up peacefully over the years.

Officials also pointed to the larger impact of the arrest on the government's anti-Maoist operations. They said Besra's continued presence in the Saranda forests of West Singhbhum district was one of the main reasons the Union government continued to classify the district as a "district of concern" for Left-Wing Extremism. His influence in the region remained a major security challenge despite the decline of Maoist activities in many other areas.

Several districts that were once considered major Maoist strongholds have witnessed significant improvement in the security situation. Officials noted that places such as Bastar in Chhattisgarh have already been removed from the list of districts of concern after a series of encounters, arrests and surrenders involving senior Maoist leaders. The arrest of Besra marks another important milestone in the government's campaign against Left-Wing Extremism.

Following the successful operation, officials said the Union Home Ministry is likely to review the status of West Singhbhum district. They believe the arrest of the last active Central Committee member could lead to changes in the district's classification under the government's Left-Wing Extremism monitoring framework.

The arrest of Misir Besra closes an important chapter in the long-running campaign against the banned CPI (Maoist). Security agencies view the operation as a major success after more than two decades of efforts to trace and capture one of the organisation's most senior leaders. Officials expect the development to further strengthen anti-Maoist operations and support the government's efforts to reduce Left-Wing Extremism in affected regions.