NEW DELHI:  Senior Maoist leader Jayaram Reddy, also known as Chalapathi, evaded security forces for decades until a selfie with his wife Aruna alias Chaitanya Venkat Ravi cost him his life. The CRPF, SOG Odisha and Chhattisgarh police gunned down 14 Naxalites in a joint operation along the Odisha-Chhattisgarh border.
Chalapathi, who carried a bounty of Rs one crore on his head, was the mastermind of the February 2008 attack in Odisha’s Nayagarh district in which 13 security personnel were killed.Chalapathi, 60, hailed from Madanapalle in Chittoor, Andhra Pradesh and had studied up to Class 10.
Despite his modest educational background, he rose to prominence in the Maoist ranks and became a cadre of the Central Committee Member (CCM), the top decision-making body within the outfit. Owing to his important position, which made him familiar with the sensitive operations of the banned outfit, a bounty of Rs 1 crore was placed on his head. The amount of the bounty also shows how important a target he was for the security forces.
According to a senior officer involved in anti-Maoist operations, he ensured that the Maoists could successfully escape from Nayagarh after looting the police armoury. He also ensured that police forces could not enter Nayagarh when the armoury was attacked and the Maoists had blocked all roads leading to the town with huge tree trunks, the officer said.
He remained incognito for many years, but a selfie taken with his wife Aruna, the ‘deputy commander’ of the Andhra Odisha Border Special Zonal Committee (AOBSZC), helped the security forces identify him. The photo was found in an abandoned smartphone, which was recovered after an encounter between Maoists and security forces in Andhra Pradesh in May 2016. A reward of Rs 1 crore was announced on his head after that, forcing him to travel with 8-10 personal security personnel. Chalapathi was familiar with the dense and impenetrable forests of Bastar. His security entourage of 8-10 personal security personnel is a testimony to his importance in the Maoist network.
Armed with modern weapons like AK-47 and SLR rifles, Chalapathi was a frontline leader who played a key role in formulating strategies and leading operations.
A native of Chittoor in Andhra Pradesh – where Maoist activities have now come to an end – Chalapathi was a senior member of the Maoists’ central committee, the highest decision-making body within the group. He was primarily active in Bastar in Chhattisgarh but shifted his hideout a few months ago due to the increasing frequency of encounters in the region. He moved near the Odisha border in search of a safer operational area. He was considered an expert in military tactics and guerrilla warfare.

Share on Facebook

Tweet

Follow us

Save