Ajay Kumar at 08:08, 9 August 2023

2023-08-09T08:08:57Z

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{{Short description|Indian communist activist}}
'''Ajay Kanu''' also Known as '''Ajay Sao''' and '''Raviji''' is a [[naxal]] commander, who was allegedly responsible behind [[2005 Jahanabad prison attack]] (Operation Jailbreak). As per reports, Kanu is said to be the chief organiser of India's biggest prison break incident, intended to free the [[Maoist]] activists incarcerated therein. He was the commander of People's Red Army— a left wing militia. Kanu was arrested by [[Bihar Police]] in 2002, while he was travelling to [[Patna]]— the capital city of Bihar, from his hideout. After arrest, he was kept in Jahanabad prison, which was attacked by naxalites subsequently with the intention to free him. He has several criminal charges over him, which includes assassination of [[Ranvir Sena]] commander, Bade Sharma and several other Ranvir Sena supporters.<ref name=Telegraph>{{cite web|url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/bihar-s-most-wanted-ajay-in-40s-trigger-happy-and-fond-of-good-life/cid/839335|title=Bihar's most wanted Ajay in 40s trigger happy and fond of good life|website=The Telegraph|accessdate=4 August 2023|archive-date=23 April 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230423045610/https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/bihar-s-most-wanted-ajay-in-40s-trigger-happy-and-fond-of-good-life/cid/839335|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.jagran.com/bihar/bhagalpur-jehanabad-jailbreak-case-mastermind-hardcore-naxalite-ajay-kanu-now-in-patna-beur-jail-sent-secretly-from-bhagalpur-22774634.html|title=जहानाबाद जेलब्रेक कांड : मास्टरमाइंड हार्डकोर नक्सली अजय कानू अब पटना बेऊर जेल में, भागलपुर से गोपनीय तरीके से भेजा|website=jagran.com|accessdate=4 August 2023|archive-date=13 March 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230313175807/https://www.jagran.com/bihar/bhagalpur-jehanabad-jailbreak-case-mastermind-hardcore-naxalite-ajay-kanu-now-in-patna-beur-jail-sent-secretly-from-bhagalpur-22774634.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=jagran/><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/maoists-liberate-jail-for-8-hoursinmates-overpower-beur-guards-behave-as-they-please/cid/1568095|title=Maoists 'liberate' jail for 8 hoursInmates overpower beur guards, behave as they please|website=The Telegraph|accessdate=5 August 2023}}</ref>

==Biography==
An arts graduate from Jahanabad College in 1988, Kanu joined [[People's War Group]] in 1980s, in order to avenge the death of his father, who was killed in a land dispute. Within a short span of time, due to his capacity to learn the use of firearms, and understanding of the Maoist doctrines, he was promoted and made the member of Central Committee of the Maoists and an area commander. As per authorities of Jahanabad prison, Kanu is a tough guy, with ability to withstand third degree torture. Soon after his arrest in 2002, he was subjected to third degree for long hours by the authorities of Jahanabad prison, but they weren't able to get any useful information from him. As per press briefing by the police, he kept saying that he was merely a trader travelling to Patna for business purpose. As per journalist Uttam Sengupta, Kanu is both feared and respected by prison authorities, wherever he is kept. Some of the naxalites, who previously worked with Kanu had confessed that though recognised as an able commander, Kanu is known for his short tempered nature, because of which, he is feared even by his own men. <ref name=Telegraph/> According to Kanu, earlier, he was a member of right wing student organisation called [[Akhil Bhartiya Vidyarthi Parishad]], but later he was attracted towards [[communism]].<ref name=BBC/>

The police officials of the prison confirmed that after his arrest, Kanu organised the fellow inmates in prison for better living condition. As a consequence of which, the prisoners in Jahanabad prison had access to [[Telephone]]s, [[Television]] and nutritious diet. A police official also stated that besides mobilising the prisoners for their rights, Kanu also took care of his men, organising money for treatment of his men's ailed relatives and paying their lawyers, for the purpose of someone's [[bail]]. They also described with admiration, the scene of Kanu taking over the charge of 'Operation Jailbreak', after he grabbed firearms during attack by Maoists on the prison. Speaking to media, about the prison attack incident of 2005, a police official, who was eyewitness of Kanu's escape told that even after being incarcerated for years, commander was quick in handling the assault rifle and he immediately shot Bade Sharma— the Ranvir Sena commander, who was also lodged in same prison, when he refused to leave the prison on the order of naxal commanders. Reportedly, Sharma was described as a class enemy of naxalites, who were involved in armed conflicts with landlords and their militia Ranvir Sena for decades, in several districts of Bihar. After arrest of Kanu in 2002, Maoist media cell actively propagated news regarding the way he was treated by the officials inside the prison, as there were concern among a section of Maoists that he will be killed by police in [[extra judicial killing|fake encounter]].<ref>Banerjee, Sumanta. “Indian Jails: Turned Upside Down.” Economic and Political Weekly, vol. 40, no. 50, 2005, pp. 5226–28. JSTOR http://www.jstor.org/stable/4417510 {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230804201144/https://www.jstor.org/stable/4417510 |date=2023-08-04 }}. Accessed 4 Aug. 2023.</ref><ref name=Telegraph/><ref>Bela Bhatia. “Jailbreak and the Maoist Movement.” Economic and Political Weekly, vol. 40, no. 51, 2005, pp. 5369–71. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/4417542. Accessed 5 Aug. 2023.</ref>

Kanu was able to flee the prison in '2005 prison break incident'; he was subsequently arrested on his way to [[Kolkata]] from [[Dhanbad]] in [[Jharkhand]], with two women activists in 2007.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india/jehanabad-jailbreak-mastermind-arrested/story-ewWwTwrJZp61m7U2K2yGKL.html|title=Jehanabad jailbreak mastermind arrested|website=Hindustan Times|accessdate=4 August 2023|archive-date=30 March 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230330144913/https://www.hindustantimes.com/india/jehanabad-jailbreak-mastermind-arrested/story-ewWwTwrJZp61m7U2K2yGKL.html|url-status=live}}</ref>After February 2007, Kanu was shifted to [[Beur Jail]], where he threatened to stage protest as due to unavailability of lawyer, the judicial procedure in his case was stalled.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bhaskar.com/bihar/patna/news/ajay-kanu-ajay-kanu-hardcore-naxalite-governor-government-lawyer-jail-superintendent-judge-lawyer-jail-patna-cm-jehanabad-courts-government-letter-hearing-hunger-strike-protest-disruption-case-beur-arrangements-security-ward-beur-jail-headlines-jail-break-execution-045223-3816564.html|title=नक्सली अजय कानू ने दी बेउर जेल में आमरण अनशन करने की धमकी|website=Bhaskar|accessdate=4 August 2023}}</ref> In Beur Jail, the activities of Kanu was suspicious, hence in 2021, he was again shifted from Beur to [[Bhagalpur]] prison.<ref name=jagran>{{cite web|url=https://www.jagran.com/bihar/bhagalpur-dreaded-naxalite-ajay-kanu-alias-ravi-ji-was-shifted-from-patna-to-bhagalpur-camp-jail-21893987.html|title=पटना से भागलपुर जेल में शिफ्ट कराया गया खूंखार नक्सली, जेलब्रेक कांड का मास्टर माइंड है कुख्यात|website=jagran|accessdate=4 August 2023|archive-date=4 August 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230804201149/https://www.jagran.com/bihar/bhagalpur-dreaded-naxalite-ajay-kanu-alias-ravi-ji-was-shifted-from-patna-to-bhagalpur-camp-jail-21893987.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

==Personal life==
Kanu's wife Sharda Devi is a politician, who contested election for the post of [[Mukhi|Mukhiya]] from Jauhar Panchayat of [[Arwal district]] in 2021.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bhaskar.com/local/bihar/news/jehanabad-jail-brake-incident-mastermind-ajay-kanu-wife-nominated-for-panchayat-election-from-arwal-karpi-block-128990124.html|title=जहानाबाद जेल ब्रेक कांड के मास्टरमाइंड की पत्नी लड़ेगी चुनाव:मुखिया पद के लिए नामांकन करने पहुंची शारदा देवी ने कहा- मुझे जीत का विश्वास, पति ने गरीबों की लड़ाई लड़ी हैं|website=Bhaskar|accessdate=4 August 2023|archive-date=19 October 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211019024747/https://www.bhaskar.com/local/bihar/news/jehanabad-jail-brake-incident-mastermind-ajay-kanu-wife-nominated-for-panchayat-election-from-arwal-karpi-block-128990124.html|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2022 (some sources say 2020<ref name=BBC>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/hindi/india-64561757|title=बिहार का सबसे बड़ा जेल ब्रेक कांड, जिस पर बनी वेब सिरीज़ की हो रही है चर्चा|website=BBC|accessdate=4 August 2023|archive-date=26 February 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230226120129/https://www.bbc.com/hindi/india-64561757|url-status=live}}</ref>), [[Government of Bihar]] released Kanu after serving several years of imprisonment. Prior to his release, he was made the state president of Lokhit Adhikar Party (a newly found political party based in Bihar), by its functionary Roshan Lal Gupta.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.livehindustan.com/bihar/patna/story-naxalite-ajay-kanu-39-s-entry-into-politics-7826039.html|website=livehindustan.com|title=Naxalite Ajay Kanu 39 s entry into politics|accessdate=4 August 2023|archive-date=28 February 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230228065805/https://www.livehindustan.com/bihar/patna/story-naxalite-ajay-kanu-39-s-entry-into-politics-7826039.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

==See also==
*[[Brij Behari Prasad]]
*[[Jagdish Mahto]]
*[[Shri Bhagwan Singh Kushwaha]]
*[[Amarjeet Kushwaha]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

[[Category:Maoist theorists]]
[[Category:Criminals from Bihar]]
[[Category:Indian communists]]
[[Category:Anti-revisionists]]
[[Category:Naxalite–Maoist insurgency]]

Ajay Kanu - Revision history

Ajay Kumar at 08:08, 9 August 2023