Swastik PalKanu, according to Indian police, was believed to be the mastermind behind the massive jailbreak that took place in November 2005. The incident occurred in a prison in Jehanabad, a district in Bihar known for its poverty and left-wing extremism. The prison was overcrowded and in poor conditions, housing both Maoists and members of upper caste Hindu private armies awaiting trial for various crimes.
On the night of the jailbreak, 389 prisoners, including many rebels, managed to escape from the prison. The rebels, wearing police uniforms, crossed a stream behind the prison, climbed the tall walls with bamboo ladders, and opened fire from their rifles. The chaos allowed the prisoners to simply walk out of the gates and disappear into the darkness. The incident exposed the weak law enforcement and the growing Maoist insurgency in the region.
Ajay Kanu, a rebel leader among the prisoners, was accused by police of being the mastermind behind the jailbreak. Despite his fearsome reputation, Kanu has since been acquitted in most of the criminal cases against him related to the incident. He is now shifting his focus towards a career in politics, advocating for the rights of the poor and backward castes.
Kanu’s journey into revolutionary politics began at a young age, influenced by his farmer father’s stories of Communist uprisings. Despite his past involvement with a Hindu-nationalist party, Kanu eventually joined the Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) to fight against the exploitation and injustices faced by the lower castes. His life as a rebel leader has been marked by evading capture and fighting for the liberation of the oppressed.