According to police sources, the 64-year-old Maoist leader was arrested from the Potashpur area of East Midnapore district. During the operation, the STF recovered two bags containing Maoist literature, propaganda booklets and several electronic devices.
Mandal, a resident of Phulchak village under Chandrakona police station in West Midnapore district, came into contact with radical left-wing ideology during his student years. He subsequently joined the People's War Group (PWG).
He worked for a long period to strengthen the organisation's presence in Sarenga and Goaltore in West Bengal and in the Gurabanda area of neighbouring Jharkhand's East Singhbhum district.
After the formal formation of the CPI (Maoist) on September 21, 2004, Mandal returned to the Jangalmahal region and played an active role in turning local movements towards violence.
He was also considered to have played a significant role in the Lalgarh movement. In 2010, the organisation appointed him secretary of the West Bengal State Committee.
Mandal also held important positions in the Bengal-Jharkhand-Odisha (BJO) Regional Committee.
Following the killing of senior Maoist leader Kishenji in 2011, Mandal moved from Jangalmahal to the dense forests of Saranda in West Singhbhum, Jharkhand, where he continued to operate.
In recent months, however, he remained under continuous surveillance by security forces following the surrender of several senior cadres of the organisation. Maoists who surrendered in August this year reportedly told investigators that Mandal was unwilling to return to the mainstream and was looking for an opportunity to re-establish his presence in Jangalmahal if conditions became favourable.
Due to his advancing age and deteriorating health, Mandal is believed to have abandoned his AK-47 rifle and some important documents in the forest around August 13-14 before leaving by car for a safe location.
His bodyguard Mangal and wife Malti are believed to remain hidden in the forests. Police investigations also found that Mandal had around Rs 1.5 lakh in cash before his arrest.
He had been staying in disguise at the homes of acquaintances and relatives. Eventually, when he reached Potashpur to collect money from an acquaintance to fund his onward journey, the Kolkata STF, which was already lying in wait, arrested him.
Mandal's wife is also a native of Potashpur in East Midnapore and had been active as a Maoist cadre. The STF arrested her in 2010, and she is currently in jail.
Mandal's arrest is being regarded as a major and decisive success for security forces in the history of anti-Naxal operations
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