Top Maoist Macherla Esobu of Telangana killed in encounter in Chhattisgarh

Macherla Esobu was in-charge of the CPI (Maoist) Party central military and Maharashtra-Chhattisgarh border. He was a DKSZC member and hails from Tekulagudem village of Kazipet mandal in Hanamkonda district

Kothagudem: Top Maoist leader Macherla Esobu alias Jagan alias Dada Randev alias Randhir carrying a cash reward of Rs 25 lakh in his hand was killed in an exchange of fire with police forces in Chhattisgarh.

Randev was in-charge of the CPI (Maoist) Party central military and Maharashtra-Chhattisgarh border. He was Dandakaranya Special Zonal Committee (DKSZC) member and hails from Tekulagudem village of Kazipet mandal in Hanamkonda district. He joined the Maoist movement in 1980 and rose to prominence reaching a key position in the Maoist Central Committee.

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Dantewada Superintendent of Police, Gaurav Rai, said in a statement on Wednesday that Randhir died in the encounter on Tuesday. Randhir had written wrote an open condolence message when his wife Macharla Lakshmakka died of illness last year and they are survived by three children.

With the death of Randev, a pall of gloom descended on Tekulagudem. The family members informed the media that his dead body would be brought to Tekulagudem from Chhattisgarh to perform the last rites.

Dantewada SP Rai informed that Randhir was among the nine armed uniformed Maoists who were killed in a police-Naxalite encounter in the forests of Lohegaon, Purangel and Andri border areas of Dantewada district and Bijapur under the limits of Kirandul police station.

Dantewada District Reserve Guards, Bastar Fighters and CRPF 111 Bn and 230 Bn Young Platoon were involved in the joint operation carried out based on information about the presence of large number of Maoists of PLGA Company No. 2, West-Bastar division and Darbha division.

Officials informed that with the coordinated efforts of district police force, DRG and Central paramilitary forces, as many as 153 naxals have been eliminated and 669 arrested and 656 surrendered so far in the year 2024.