Police guns down Maoist leader in Malkangiri

Malkangiri: Security forces gunned down top Maoist leader G Nageswar Rao alias Chinnabai, 38, involved in many crimes including several murders, at Kapatuti forest under Chitrakonda police station limits in Malkangiri district on Friday night.

Acting on a tip-off that a group of Maoists had taken shelter inside Kapatuti forest on Andhra Pradesh-Odisha border, a police party surrounded the area and attacked a Maoist camp. In an encounter that followed, Maoist leader identified as Chinnabai was killed, said Malkangiri SP Mitrabhanu Mohapatra. Huge cache of arms and explosives were seized from the encounter spot, he added.

Chinnabai, who hailed from Kundumulu village in Visakhapatnam district of Andhra Pradesh, carrying a reward of Rs 4 lakh reward on his head. He worked as ‘assistant commandant’ in Kalimela area committee of Malkangiri division under Andhra-Odisha Border Special Zonal Committee of the outlawed CPI (Maoist).