Top Maoist leader among three killed in forest encounter with security forces
In a major joint operation by Andhra Pradesh Greyhounds, the CRPF, and Chhattisgarh police, three senior Maoist leaders were killed during an early morning gun battle in the Maredumilli forest region of East Godavari district on Wednesday.The deceased include Gajarla Ravi alias Uday, a central committee Member and secretary of the Andhra-Odisha Border Special Zonal Committee (AOBSZC), Raavi Venkata Lakshmi Chaitanya alias Aruna, a special zonal committee member and east division secretary, and another cadre identified as Anju.advertisementThe encounter took place near Kintukuru village, between Maredumilli and Rampachodavaram in Alluri Sitarama Raju (ASR) district.
According to police sources, the exchange of fire lasted for about 25 minutes after a group of 16 Maoists was spotted in the area. Security forces recovered three bodies from the site, and combing operations are currently underway as the remaining Maoists reportedly fled.Simultaneously, a parallel encounter was reported near the Chhattisgarh border in Sukma district, where two more Maoists were killed and two AK-47 rifles were recovered. Operations in that region are also ongoing.Gajarla Ravi, also known by aliases Uday, Ganesh, and Birusu, hailed from Velishala village in Bhupalapally district of Telangana. He was one of the highest-ranking Maoist leaders in the region and carried a reward of Rs 25 lakh. His involvement with the movement spanned nearly four decades. He had earlier participated in the 2004–05 peace talks with the then Andhra Pradesh government under Chief Minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy, as part of the People's War Group.advertisementRavi was previously in charge of regions including Malkangiri, Koraput, and Srikakulam, and was known for his role in guerrilla warfare strategy and IED deployment. Despite being diabetic, he continued to lead jungle operations well into his late forties. As of early 2025, he was considered the top-ranking Maoist leader in the AOBSZC.Aruna, who was married to slain Central Committee member Chalapati, hailed from Karak Vani Palem in Visakhapatnam district. She carried a reward of Rs 20 lakh and played a prominent role in the Maoist women's wing and in military coordination.The bodies of the three deceased were recovered from the site. While police confirmed their identities, an official statement is awaited. Information about Maoist movement in the Maredumilli area had reportedly been received by police on Tuesday evening.A separate encounter was also reported from the forest area between Koyilagudem and Kittukuru villages in Rampachodavaram mandal. Details of that incident are awaited.Officials said the deaths of Ravi and Aruna mark a significant blow to the Andhra-Odisha Border Special Zonal Committee (AOBSZC), which is one of the active regional arms of the outlawed Communist Party of India (Maoist). Security forces say this operation has neutralised key leadership in the Andhra-Odisha-Chhattisgarh region.
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