New Delhi:

Jayaram Reddy, a senior Maoist leader also known as Chalapati, escaped security forces for decades until a selfie with his wife, Aruna alias Chaitanya Venkat Ravi, cost him his life. He was among 20 Maoists killed in a joint operation by central and state police forces along the Chhattisgarh-Odisha border this week.

Chalapati carried a reward of Rs 1 crore and was the mastermind of the February 2008 attack in Odisha’s Nayagarh district, in which 13 security personnel lost their lives.

He ensured the Maoists could successfully escape from Nayagarh after robbing the police armoury, a senior officer involved in anti-Maoist operations told the news agency PTI on Wednesday.

He also ensured that police reinforcements could not enter Nayagarh when the attack on the armoury was underway and the Maoists had blocked all roads leading to the town with massive tree trunks, the officer said.

He stayed incognito for years but a selfie with his wife Aruna, a ‘deputy commander’ of the Andhra Odisha Border Special Zonal Committee (AOBSZC), helped security forces identify him. The picture was found in an abandoned smartphone that was recovered in May 2016 following an encounter between Maoists and security forces in Andhra Pradesh.

A bounty of Rs 1 crore was then announced on his head, forcing him to travel with a security detail comprising 8-10 personal guards.

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A resident of Andhra Pradesh’s Chittoor — where Maoist activities have ended now — Chalapati was a senior member of the central committee of the Maoists, which is the highest decision-making body within the group.

He was mainly active in Chhattisgarh’s Bastar but relocated his base a few months ago due to the increasing frequency of encounters in the area. He shifted near the Odisha border, seeking a safer operational zone.

He was considered an expert in military tactics and guerrilla warfare, officials said.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who has vowed to eradicate Maoists by March 2026, called the encounter “another 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,” he posted on X.

“With our resolve for a Naxal-free India and the joint efforts of our security forces, Naxalism is breathing its last today,” Mr Shah said.

At least 40 Maoists have so far been killed in separate encounters in Chhattisgarh this year.

(With agency inputs)

New Delhi:

A Maoist carrying a Rs 1 crore bounty was among 14 killed in an encounter with security forces in Chhattisgarh’s Gariaband district last night with Union Home Minister Amit Shah calling the operation a “major success”.

Jayaram Reddy, a senior Maoist leader also known as Chalapati, was killed in the exchange of fire that took place in a forest along the Chhattisgarh-Odisha border.

A joint team of security personnel from the District Reserve Guard (DRG), Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), CoBRA from Chhattisgarh and Special Operation Group (SOG) from Odisha were involved in the operation.

The operation was launched based on intelligence about the presence of Maoists in the Kularighat reserve forest of Chhattisgarh, just five kilometres from the border of Odisha’s Nuapada district.

A large cache of firearms, ammunition and IEDs, including a self-loading rifle, were recovered from the encounter site, an official said. A massive search operation is underway in the area.

Amit Shah On Maoist Encounter

Amit Shah, who has vowed to eradicate Maoists by March 2026, called the encounter “another 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,” he posted on X.

Another 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…

— Amit Shah (@AmitShah) January 21, 2025

“With our resolve for a Naxal-free India and the joint efforts of our security forces, Naxalism is breathing its last today,” Mr Shah added.

Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai also praised the security forces and said that under the double-engine government (the BJP government at the Centre and the state), Chhattisgarh will get rid of the Maoists by March 2026.

The security forces have been “continuously achieving success” and “moving rapidly” towards fulfilling the target, he said.

“This success of the soldiers is commendable. I salute their bravery,” Mr Sai posted on X.

About 40 Maoists have so far been killed in separate encounters in Chhattisgarh this year.

Chalapati: The Senior Maoist Killed In Encounter

Chalapati, who was a resident of Andhra Pradesh’s Chittoor, was a senior member of the central committee of the Maoists, which is the highest decision-making body within the group. He was known for his activities in the dense forests of Abujhmad in Chhattisgarh’s Bastar.

Aged around 60, he relocated his base a few months ago due to the increasing frequency of encounters in the Abujhmad area and shifted near the Odisha border, seeking a safer operational zone, sources said.

Chalapati played a key role in strategizing and leading operations for the Maoists.

His security detail consisted of 8 to 10 personal guards.

Chalapati, who carried a reward of Rs 1 crore for information leading to his capture, was considered a high-value target by security forces.

Over 200 Maoists Killed In 2024

More than 200 Maoists were killed by security forces in Chhattisgarh in 2024. Among 219 Maoists killed last year, 217 were from the Bastar region, which comprises Bastar, Dantewada, Kanker, Bijapur, Narayanpur, Kondagaon and Sukma districts.

Over 800 Maoists were also arrested, while about 802 laid down their arms.

About 18 security personnel lost their lives in the fight against Maoists in 2024, while the number of civilians killed in Maoist violence stood at 65.