Eight Maoists killed in encounter with security forces in Chhattisgarh

Kotehonda Ravindra, a well known name in the Maoist circles surrendered before the Karnataka government in Chikkamagaluru.

Bijapur: Eight Maoists were killed in an encounter with security forces in Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur district on Saturday, February 1, the police said.

The gunfight broke out around 8.30 am in the forest in Gangaloor police station area when a joint team of security personnel was out on an anti-Maoists operation, said a senior police official.

More details were awaited as the operation was still underway, he said.

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Personnel of the district reserve guard and special task force of the state police along with the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and its elite unit CoBRA (Commando Battalion for Resolute Action) were involved in the operation, the official said.

The operation was launched on Friday after receiving information about the presence of cadres of the `West Bastar division’ of the Maoists in the area, he said.

Maoist Kotehonda Ravindra surrenders in Karnataka

Kotehonda Ravindra, a well known name in the Maoist circles surrendered before the Karnataka government in Chikkamagaluru on Saturday, February 1.

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Kotehonda Ravindra

For 44-year-old Ravindra, the surrender was not forced. “I was not forced to surrender; I have done so of my own free will,” he said. He was involved in naxal activities across Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu and remained underground till 2007.

A resident of Kotehonda in Hulagaru Bail near Kigga of Sringeri taluk, Ravindra is classified as ‘A’ category Maoist by the government.

He surrendered before the superintendent of police (SP) and was later taken to the deputy commissioner of police (DCP) Meena Nagaraj.

“I have submitted demands to the government, including the development of roads in our village, land rights for the landless, and the removal of restrictions on collecting forest produce,” he told reporters.

DCP Nagaraj said that under the surrender package, Ravindra will receive Rs 7.5 lakh from the Karnataka government. “With the necessary approvals, an initial amount of Rs 3 lakh will be provided, and the remaining amount will be released in a phased manner. If he wishes, he will also be imparted with skill training. Meanwhile, the legal proceedings regarding the cases filed against him will continue,” the DCP said.

According to the police, the Maoist leader has 127 cases registered against him. In Chikkamagaluru, 13 cases are registered.

With Ravindra’s surrender, the total number of Maoists surrender has risen to 21. On January 8, six Maoists – Latha Mundaguru, Vanajakshi Balehole, Sundari Kuthluru, Mareppa Aroli, K Vasanth (Tamil Nadu), and T N Jisha (Kerala) – surrendered in the presence of chief minister Siddaramaiah.

(With inputs from PTI)

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