A special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court in Jagdalpur city in Bastar district on Wednesday convicted 10 Maoists and awarded them death on charges of criminal conspiracy and murder for their alleged involvement in the Jhiram Ghati attack.In the 2013 attack, armed cadres of the banned Communist Party of India (Maoist) had surrounded and launched an attack on a Congress convoy, killing at least 27 people and almost wiping out the state party leadership. As many as 38 people had suffered injuries.NIA judge Ajay Singh Rajput convicted the accused under several sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act. The death sentence was awarded for criminal conspiracy (120 B) and murder (section 302) of the IPC.The 10 who have been convicted are Pramila Modiyam, Chaitu Lekam alias Munna, Sumita alias Punem Modiyam, Mukka Mandvi, Kosa Kavasi alias Kosaram, Aayata Markam, Madkami Deva, Joga Madkami, Banjami Sanna alias Chamru and Mahadev Nag. An 11th accused died during trial while another 28, named in the chargesheet as accused, have been listed as wanted.Among the prominent Maoists chargesheeted in the case but shown as wanted accused are Thippiri Tirupathi alias Devuji, a CPI (Maoist) politburo member who surrendered in Telangana in February this year; Barse Deva, who succeeded Madvi Hidma as commander of the PLGA Battalion 1, and surrendered in January this year; and Ganesh Uikey, a CPI (Maoist) central committee member who was killed in a December 2025 encounter in Odisha.Man behind Salwa Judum among those killedThe Jhiram Ghati attack took place on May 25, 2013, when over 150 Maoists ambushed a Congress Parivartan Rally convoy and killed several people, including Mahendra Karma, who was instrumental in founding the banned anti-Maoist militia Salwa Judum; state Congress chief Nand Kumar Patel and his son Dinesh; and senior party leader and former MLA Uday Mudliyar.According to investigators, the attack near the inter-district border of Bastar and Sukma districts was primarily aimed at Karma.Story continues below this adAccording to the NIA chargesheet, the attack was meticulously planned as part of the banned CPI (Maoist)’s Tactical Counter Offensive Campaign (TCOC). Maoist commanders conspired during meetings in early 2013 to target “class enemies”, specifically targeting Karma, it added.The Maoists triggered a landmine blast beneath a red Bolero vehicle, creating a 5-foot-deep crater and blocking the road with a stalled truck. Surrounding hilltops were used to rain indiscriminate gunfire and throw grenades on the trapped 20-vehicle convoy for nearly two hours.The 27 people who were killed included 10 security personnel. Police records show that the Maoists also looted a 9 mm pistol with two magazines and 20 rounds, two AK-47 rifles with 14 magazines and 455 rounds, 10 hand grenades and communication sets.The NIA took over the investigation two days after the attack. On September 25, 2014, it filed a chargesheet against nine arrested accused before the NIA Special Court in Jagdalpur.Story continues below this adOn September 28, 2015, it filed a supplementary chargesheet against another 30 accused. A total of 11 accused were arrested in the case but one of them died during trial. At least 28 more accused who were chargesheeted are wanted in the case.The trial lasted more than a decade, with at least 294 hearings. After final arguments were completed this month, the NIA court delivered its judgment on September 5 followed by quantum of punishment on Wednesday.