Top Maoist Chalam killed in encounter in National Park area in Chhattisgarh

A top CPI (Maoist) leader, Thentu Laxminarasimha Chalam alias Sudhakar, was killed in an encounter in Indravati National Park, Bijapur. Security forces launched the operation based on intelligence inputs. He carried a ₹1 crore reward and led Maoist operations.

Kothagudem: A member of CPI (Maoist) party Central Committee was killed in an encounter in Indravati National Park of Bijapur in Chhattisgarh on Thursday.

The Central Committee member Thentu Laxminarasimha Chalam alias Gautham alias Sudhakar was said to have gunned down in the encounter between the security forces and the Naxalites.

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An automatic weapon was recovered from the spot and the encounter was still going on, police said.
Sudhakar, aged around 66 years belongs to Pragadavaram of Chintalapudi mandal in AP’s West Godavari district. He discontinued the Ayurvedic course before joining the Maoists. He was promoted as the Central Committee Member in 2021. He carried a cash reward of Rs 1 crore on his head and acted as in-charge of RePos.

Bijapur’s district reserve guards (DRG), CRPF’s CoBRA forces and STF personnel took part in the encounter following the information about the presence of a large number of Maoist cadres in the National Park area.