Jayaram Reddy, also known as Chalapati and Appa Rao, a senior Maoist leader with a bounty of Rs 1 crore on his head, was among 14 Maoists killed during an intense encounter with security forces in Chhattisgarh’s Gariaband district.
Union home minister Amit Shah took to social media platform X to hail the development as a “mighty blow to Naxalism”. “Our security forces achieved major success towards building a Naxal-free Bharat. The CRPF, SoG Odisha, and Chhattisgarh Police neutralised 14 Naxalites in a joint operation along the Odisha-Chhattisgarh border. With our resolve for a Naxal-free India and the joint efforts of our security forces, Naxalism is breathing its last today,” he wrote.
Who was Chalapati, the Maoist leader killed in the encounter?
-Chalapati, a central figure in Maoist activities across Chhattisgarh's Bastar region, recently relocated to the Odisha border area to avoid the intensifying encounters in his earlier operational zone.
-According to media reports, he was from Chittoor in Andhra Pradesh and had studied till Class 10. With decades of involvement in Naxal activities, Chalapati was considered a pivotal strategist in their operations.
-Despite having a modest educational background, Chalapati ascended to prominence in the Maoist ranks, becoming a cadre of the Central Committee Member (CCM), the organisation’s top decision-making body, according to an NDTV report.
-Chalapati’s prominence in the Maoist hierarchy was highlighted by the 8 to 10 Maoist fighters assigned as his personal guard.
-With advanced arms including AK-47s and SLR rifles, Chalapati was a prominent leader who reportedly excelled in both strategic planning and operational leadership.
In 2024, security forces killed over 200 Maoists in Chhattisgarh, including 217 from the Bastar region. The year also saw the arrest of over 800 Maoists and the surrender of approximately 802 others. Despite these successes, the ongoing conflict has resulted in the loss of 18 security personnel and 65 civilians.
(With agencies inputs)
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