Maoist Leader’s Selfie with Wife Leads to His Death

Jairam alias Chalapathi, a Maoist leader with a Rs 1 crore bounty on his head, was killed in an encounter with security forces in Chhattisgarh’s Gariaband district. Chalapathi had been a mystery for years, operating in the shadows, but a selfie with his wife helped security forces locate him.

Chalapathi, whose real name was Ramachandra Reddy, was involved in the 2008 Maoist attack in Odisha’s Nayagarh district, where 13 security personnel were killed. He was killed on Tuesday in an encounter at the Odisha-Chhattisgarh border.

The breakthrough came when security forces found an abandoned smartphone in May 2016, following a gunfight with Maoists in Andhra Pradesh. The phone contained a selfie of Chalapathi with his wife, Aruna, which led to his identification and the Rs 1 crore bounty on his head.

Hailing from Chittoor district in Andhra Pradesh, Chalapathi was primarily active in Chhattisgarh and Odisha. In recent years, he operated mainly in the Bastar area and faced mobility issues due to knee problems.

The encounter on Tuesday led to the death of 14 Maoists. A joint operation by security forces, including the District Reserve Guard (DRG), CRPF, CoBRA, and Odisha’s Special Operation Group (SOG), was carried out along the Odisha-Chhattisgarh border.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah praised the operation, calling it a "mighty blow to Naxalism." He expressed confidence that, with continued joint efforts from security forces, Naxalism is on the decline in India.