Top Maoist from Telangana carrying Rs 45 lakh reward in two States killed in Chhattisgarh encounter

Bhaskar, a key figure in CPI (Maoist) Telangana State Committee, was reportedly tasked with strengthening the party’s base and influencing youth to join it

Kothagudem: CPI (Maoist) Telangana State Committee member Mailarapu Adellu (53), also known as Bhaskar, was killed in an exchange of fire with security forces in the National Park region of Bijapur district, Chhattisgarh.

He was from Pochera village in Boath mandal of the erstwhile Adilabad district. Bhaskar was reportedly tasked with strengthening the party’s base and influencing youth to join it. He served as the secretary of the Kumaram Bheem Mancherial (KMDVC) divisional committee.

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He managed to escape from police during a combing operation in 2020 in the forests of Tiryani mandal, Asifabad district. He had a reward of Rs 45 lakh on his head in two States. Police said they recovered an AK-47 rifle from the encounter spot.

Bijapur’s district reserve guards (DRG), CRPF’s CoBRA forces, and STF personnel launched a search operation on Thursday after receiving information about the presence of several Maoist leaders, including Thentu Laxminarasimha Chalam (alias Gautham), Telangana State Committee member Bandi Prakash, Dandakaranya Special Zonal Committee Member Papa Rao, and other armed Maoist cadres in the area.

The 66-year-old Gautham alias Sudhakar was killed in an encounter on Thursday. Police, in a statement on Thursday, said that during the period from 2024 to 2025, more than 403 Maoist cadres were killed in encounters, and their bodies recovered in the Bastar Range following multiple encounters between Maoists and security forces.