Ranchi, April 3 – Prashant Bose, a senior Politburo member of the banned CPI-Maoist, also known as ‘Kishan Da’, died at the Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) in Ranchi after his health deteriorated on Friday, officials said. He was over 80 years old.
Bose, who was in custody at the Seraikela Jail, complained of severe breathing difficulties early Friday morning. Around 6 a.m., he was rushed to RIMS under tight security, where a team of doctors began treatment.
However, his condition did not improve, and he was declared dead around 10 a.m. on Friday, officials said.
Given the sensitivity of the case, a magistrate has been appointed, and all legal procedures are being followed.
Bose, originally from West Bengal, was one of the most influential leaders of the Maoist movement and was widely considered second only to CPI-Maoist General Secretary Nambala Keshav Rao.
He was a key member of the Central Committee and Politburo, and also served as the secretary of the outfit's Eastern Regional Bureau.
Within Maoist circles, he was known by several aliases, including ‘Manish’ and ‘Buddha’.
Bose was arrested along with his wife, Sheela Marandi, on November 12, 2021, near the Kandra Toll Bridge in the Seraikela-Kharsawan district. A reward of Rs 1 crore had been announced for his capture at the time.
According to security agencies, he was involved in more than 200 Maoist-related incidents across several states, including Jharkhand, Bihar, West Bengal, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Andhra Pradesh, and Maharashtra. Active for nearly four decades, he was considered a key strategist, a think tank, and ideologue of the Maoists.
Since his arrest, Bose had been in judicial custody and was suffering from age-related ailments.
Following his death, security has been heightened in the region, and further legal formalities are being completed after the post-mortem examination.