Chalapathi’s death in encounter: A Major setback for Maoists in Andhra, Odisha, and Chhattisgarh

Bhubaneswar: The death of top Maoist leader Pratap Reddy Ramachandra Reddy, alias Jairam and Chalapathi, in a gun battle during a joint operation by the Odisha and Chhattisgarh police and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) in Chhattisgarh’s Gariaband district on Monday night has come as a significant blow to Maoist operations across Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, and Chhattisgarh.

Chalapathi, a Central Committee member of the Maoists, carried a bounty of Rs 1 crore on his head. He was among 16 Maoists killed in the encounter, according to officials on Tuesday.

Odisha’s Director General of Police (DGP), Y.B. Khurania, stated, “Based on reliable intelligence inputs, the Odisha and Chhattisgarh police, along with the CRPF, conducted a joint operation in Gariaband district, resulting in the elimination of the rebels.”

As of the latest reports, security forces have recovered 16 bodies of Maoists from the site. A large cache of arms and ammunition, including an AK-47, SLR, and INSAS rifles, was seized from the rebels’ hideouts. Search operations in the area are ongoing.

Union home minister Amit Shah lauded the anti-Maoist operation, calling it a “mighty blow to Naxalism.”

“Another mighty blow to Naxalism. Our security forces have achieved a major success towards building a Naxal-free Bharat. The CRPF, SOG Odisha, and Chhattisgarh Police neutralized 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,” tweeted Shah.

Chhattisgarh Deputy Chief Minister Arun Sao echoed Shah’s sentiments, saying, “Union Home Minister Amit Shah has announced that we will make the nation Naxal-free by March 31, 2026. Our security forces are working bravely and consistently in this direction. I congratulate them on their achievement in Gariaband. Ending Naxalism is crucial for the state’s development.”

Who Was Chalapathi?

Pratap Reddy Ramachandra Reddy, alias Chalapathi (62), rose swiftly through the ranks of the Maoist organisation and was involved in several high-profile attacks, including one that killed an MLA. According to security officials, he was a key figure in the Maoist hierarchy.

Hailing from Matempaipally village in Andhra Pradesh’s Chittoor district, Chalapathi is believed to have masterminded the September 23, 2018, attack in Dumbriguda Mandal of Araku. In that incident, Maoists shot and killed TDP MLA Kidari Sarveswara Rao and former TDP MLA Siveri Soma in a brazen attack that stunned Andhra’s security forces. His wife, Aruna, allegedly led the group of Maoists responsible for the killings.

Chalapathi’s journey into Maoism began as a teenager in the late 1970s when he was drawn to the ideology of the People’s War Group (PWG) of CPI (Marxist-Leninist). In 1980, he dropped out of his studies and joined the PWG in Srikakulam.

Starting as a party member in the Uddanam area of Srikakulam, Chalapathi quickly climbed the ranks, becoming a Divisional Committee Member (DCM). Over the years, he operated under various aliases, including Pratap, Ravi, and Jairam.

In December 2000, Chalapathi was promoted to a Special Zonal Committee Member and inducted into the State Military Commission of the Andhra-Odisha Border Special Zonal Committee (AOB-SZC). Known for his guerrilla warfare tactics and military strategy, he played a critical role in planning and executing high-profile attacks across Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Chhattisgarh.

The CPI (Maoist)’s Central Military Commission often relied on Chalapathi to organise major assault operations and recruit new cadres. Over three decades, he orchestrated numerous attacks in border regions.

In May 2016, Andhra Pradesh police got their first visual confirmation of Chalapathi when they found a selfie of him with his wife on a laptop recovered from a Maoist leader killed in an encounter in Visakhapatnam.

Interestingly, Chalapathi’s relationship with Aruna, alias Chaitanya Venkat Ravi, a deputy commander in AOB-SZC, caused friction within Maoist ranks. In 2010, he was suspended for a year due to his romantic involvement with her, though they later married. Despite his prominence, Chalapathi faced setbacks. In 2012, he was demoted after a technical error on his part led to the death of a Maoist rebel.