Muppala Lakshman, alias Ganapathy, the shadowy head of the outlawed CPI Maoist tops the list of the most wanted persons in the country. The National Investigation Agency in its latest list of the “most wanted” has put a reward of Rs 15 lakh on his head.
Born in Karimnagar in Telangana, Ganapathy is at the helm of the dreaded ultra left organisation for almost a quarter of a century. After leading a coup d’état against the founder chief of the People’s War in early 1990s and taking over the leadership Ganapathy ushered all the armed Maoist groups towards merger to form pan India Communist Party of India Maoist in 2005.
Though the police and intelligence organisations of several States as well as the agencies of Government of India have been chasing him, Ganapthy has always managed to dodge them and believed to be ensconced somewhere in Dandakarnyia forest.
However, is catching up with him and the 69-year-old guerrilla fighter is facing several health issues. Amid the increasing pressure he was likely to make way for his lieutenant Nambala Keshav Rao alias Basawaraj who is No. 2 in the ranks of the Maoist leaders. In the NIA list of 258 most wanted Maoistts he carries a reward of Rs 10 lakh.
Keshav Rao is a key figure as he is the top most expert in making improvised explosive devices and also an expert in military strategy.