HYDERABAD: In a significant blow to the Maoist movement, a key leader named Sujatha was arrested by the Telangana police. She was on her way to a hospital in Kothagudem for medical treatment when the arrest occurred in Sukma, Chhattisgarh. This arrest is part of an ongoing effort by authorities to weaken Maoist ranks, which have been severely impacted by recent encounters.
Sujatha is a senior leader within the Maoist party. She held high-ranking positions and was wanted in multiple states, including Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Telangana. According to officials, there were bounties totaling over Rs. 1 crore on her head. She was responsible for the Bastar Divisional Committee and had been on the most-wanted list for her involvement in several violent incidents in the Sukma region.
This arrest follows a major encounter that took place on October 4 in Chhattisgarh. During that operation, 31 Maoists, including 13 women, were killed. The encounter occurred on the border of the Narayanpur and Dantewada districts after the police received information about a meeting of top Maoist leaders. Joint forces from DRG, CRPF-CoBRA, and STF conducted a combing operation, leading to a two-hour gun battle in the forested area between Nendhur and Tulatuli villages.
The Maoists killed in the encounter were identified as members of the People’s Liberation Guerrilla Army (PLGA) 6th Company and the Eastern Bastar Division. Among them was Niti, also known as Urmila, who was a member of the Dandakaranya Special Zonal Committee and had a reward of Rs. 25 lakh on her head. Other high-ranking Maoists killed included Divisional Committee members Suresh Salam and Meena Madkam.
