Kothagudem police arrests top Maoist carrying Rs 20 lakh cash reward

Joga was involved in as many as 11 attacks against police forces, including the 2010 attack on special forces in Tadmetla forest area killing 75 personnel, 2017 attack on Burkapal police camp killing 25 personnel and 2021 attack in Tekulgurma forest area killing 22 police.

Kothagudem: Police arrested a top Maoist carrying Rs 20 lakh cash reward on his head, along with a dalam member and a courier in the district on Monday, informed Superintendent of Police B Rohith Raju.

The CPI (Maoist) party Dandakaranya Special Zonal Committee (DKSZC) member Kartam Joga alias Rajesh of Burgulanka and Basaguda LOS member Punem Jogal alias Raju of Gondapalli in Chhattisgarh along with a courier M Geetha Gayathri of Cherla in the district were arrested at Danavaipeta under Cherla police station limits.

---

They were caught while they were returning to Chhattisgarh from Warangal, where Joga underwent treatment for ailment. Joga was in-charge of South Bastar Maoist technical and military wing. He joined Maoists in 1994, worked as Kistaram area committee member for four years and in 2006 he was made divisional committee member of the same committee.

In 2010 Joga was transferred to 8th platoon, in 2013 he was transferred to the military wing of South-Bastar division, in 2020 he became the in-charge of the technical team of South-bastar DVC and in 2021 he was elevated as member of DKSZC.

Joga was involved in as many as 11 attacks against police forces, including the 2010 attack on special forces in Tadmetla forest area killing 75 personnel, 2017 attack on Burkapal police camp killing 25 personnel and 2021 attack in Tekulgurma forest area killing 22 police.

Jogal who joined as a member in Basuguda LOS in 2022, was serving as an assistant to Joga to help him get medical treatment. Geetha Gayatri was a Maoist sympathiser and was working as a courier, the SP said.

Rohith Raju noted that many of the Maoist senior cadres who crossed 60 years of age were suffering from severe health problems and not getting medical treatment. He appealed to the underground cadres to join the mainstream to avail rehabilitation benefits from the State government.