For the CPI(Maoist), the dreaded and the most powerful left-wing outlawed organisation in India active in more than a dozen States, Monday’s wee hour encounter has spelled the deadliest blow in its history as the victims include many of the top leaders of the underground movement.
Adding salt to the injury the combined forces of Andhra Pradesh and Odisha were able to deliver the blow in an area believed to be the safest zone for the Maoists.
Chitrakonda forest in Malkangiri district near Balimela reservoir had such a reputation of being a fortress of Maoists or a cut-off area that the police forces also used to avoid entering the area. The area spread over 150 villages was known as cut-off area because the area had no link with the other parts after the construction of Balimela reservoir and turned into safe heaven for Maoist for most parts of the last one decade. The Maoists headed by Garajala Ravi were ruling the region with impunity.
The same reservoir had witnessed a brutal carnage of 35 Greyhound Commandos and three civilians in June 2008 when Maoists had ambushed a boat carrying them in the reservoir. But this time the police managed to turn the tables.
Informed sources say as the information poured in from different sources, top officials chalked out the plans at the Visakhapatanam airport and the Commandos started reaching the vicinity two days in advance.
Odisha Police got the first clue about the imminent gaterhing of Maoists when it arrested some local people including messengers (couriers) and grilled them. They had also observed the movement of large quantities of grains and other essential commodities through the forest.
The plans were finalised jointly after Odisha Police arrested their AP counter parts as the location was closed to the AP border.
The meticulously planned operation based on the advance intelligence and days of preparation came when the Maoists including their top most leader in the AP-Odisha bordera area Rama Krishna alias RK alias Akkiraju Haragopa had gathered for a Plenary to chalk out the future course of action to further strengthen and intensify their activities specially in Andhra Pradesh.
While RK surrounded by three layers of security comprising of 70 guards managed to escape the police dragnet, the police officials in Andhra Pradesh believe that those killed in the attack include Division Secretary Ramachandra Reddy alias Chalapathi, his wife and Nandapur area committee secretary Aruna, Malkangiri-Koraput-Srikakulam division committee secretary and AOB Special Zone Committee member Gajarala Ravi alias Uday, another SZC member Venkata-ramanna alias Ganesh, Koraput divisional committee secretary Ch Krishnamurthy alias Daya.
Gajarala Ravi, a native of Warangal district had also participated in the 2005 peace talks as member of the CPI Maoist team. Another blow was the death of Munna, son of Rama Krishna alias RK, Secretary AOB Special Zone Committee secretary. Munna had joined the Maoists recently. RK’s wife Srisha, a school teacher in Hyderabad was arrested in 2010 forcing him to be more cauditious.
RK is on the top of the most wanted Maoist leaders in Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and Chattisgarh. Earlier he was the head of Andhra Pradesh Committee Secretary based in Nallamalla forest in Kurnool district till he led the Maoists team in a peace talks with YSR Rajasekhar Reddy government in 2005. later he could manage to escape from a police dragnet from the Nallamalla forest and shifted his base to Bastar region.
According to the intelligence sources RK along with his son had stepped up his efforts to revive and strengthen the CPI Maoist in Andhra Pradesh.
According to the details of yesterday’s operation by the elite anti Maoist commando force Greyhounds of AP and Special Force of Odisha, after surrounding the place where a large number of Maoists had gathered, they pushed the Maoist towards the ferry point of Balimela reservoir. Three more teams of the combine forces lay there in ambush for the fleeing Maoists and many of them were killed at the point.
As the operation left 24 Maoists including 8 women dead but the police team found 50 kit bags on the spot, police top brass believes that many Maoists were on the run in the area. Combing operations by the forces of the two states was still continuing.
4 AK-47 ten rifles, three SlRs, and huge ammunitions were also recovered from the scene of the encounter.