Chhatradhar Mahato ( bn, ছত্রধর মাহাতো) (born 1964) is an Indian political activist and convict from

Lalgarh Lalgarh is a small town and a gram panchayat in the Binpur I Community development blocks in India, CD block under the Jhargram subdivision of the Jhargram district in the Indian States and territories of India, state of West Bengal. Lalgrah ca ...

West Bengal West Bengal (, Bengali: ''Poshchim Bongo'', , abbr. WB) is a state in the eastern portion of India. It is situated along the Bay of Bengal, along with a population of over 91 million inhabitants within an area of . West Bengal is the fou ...

. He was the convener of the ''Police Santrash Birodhi Janasadharaner Committee'' ( – PCAPA) during Lalgarh insurgency. He gained prominence following the Salboni blast in November 2008. In 2020, he joined Trinamool Congress (TMC). He was selected in the TMC State Committee in 2020 July. He was arrested by a team of NIA officials in the early hours of March 28 in connection with the murder of a Communist Party of India (Marxist) worker Prabir Mahato in 2009

Early life

Chhatradhar Mahato was born at a tiny hamlet of Amlia in

. He is the eldest of three brothers. After his Higher Secondary examination from Lalgarh Ramakrishna Mission Vidyapith, he joined

Midnapore College Midnapore College, established in 1873, is the oldest college in Midnapore, in the Paschim Medinipur district of West Bengal. It offers undergraduate and postgraduate courses in arts and sciences. It is affiliated to Vidyasagar University. ...

where he became an active member of the Chhatra Parishad, student wing of the Congress, inspired by

Mamata Banerjee Mamata Banerjee (; born 5 January 1955) is an Indian politician who is serving as the eighth and current List of chief ministers of West Bengal, chief minister of the States and union territories of India, Indian state of West Bengal since 20 ...

. He did not complete his college education. Mahto belonged to

Kudmi Mahato The Kudmi are a community in the states of Jharkhand, West Bengal, Odisha and Bihar of India. They were primarily agriculturalist. . Classification Kudmi were classified as a Notified Tribe by the British Raj under the terms of the Indian Succ ...

agricultural caste.

Political prisoner status

In September 2012 Calcutta High Court granted Chhatradhar

political prisoner A political prisoner is someone imprisoned for their political activity. The political offense is not always the official reason for the prisoner's detention. There is no internationally recognized legal definition of the concept, although n ...

status along with 8 other activist. This ruling made the centre consider challenging the decision, as they feared more naxalites would seek 'political prisoner' status.

Conviction

Court has convicted Mahato under

Unlawful Activities Prevention Act Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act is an Indian law aimed at prevention of unlawful activities associations in India. Its main objective was to make powers available for dealing with activities directed against the integrity and sovereignty ...

(UAPA) along with other three PCPA member Sukhshanti Baske, Sambhu Soren and Sagun Murmu and sentenced to life imprisonment on 12 May 2015.

Political career

After being released from jail, he joined TMC officially and was inducted in its State Committee in July 2020.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mahato, Chhatradhar 1964 births Living people Naxalite–Maoist insurgency Ramakrishna Mission schools alumni Vidyasagar University alumni Political activists Prisoners and detainees of India

Early life

Political prisoner status

Conviction

Political career

See also

References