Top Maoist succumbs to COVID

CPI (Maoist) south Bastar tech team commander Kurasam Gangaiah alias Aithu, 28, is believed to have died from COVID-19 while undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Khammam in the wee hours of Thursday.

The Manuguru police said that Gangaiah, 28, a native of Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur district, succumbed to COVID-19 at a hospital in the district, where he was admitted for treatment four days ago by a Maoist dalam member, a militia member and a courier.

The police claimed to have arrested the trio while they were heading to Chhattisgarh in a car during a vehicle checking drive in Manuguru town on Thursday morning.

The arrested were identified as Savalam Pojja alias Bheemaiah, 24, a dalam member of Maoist Dandakaranya south Bastar supply team, Seethaiah alias Mahendar, 26, a Maoist courier and Jogaiah, 28, Maoist militia member, both hailing from Andhra Pradesh’s Chintoor mandal.

Explosive materials including ten gelatin sticks, three detonators, four batteries and electric wire bundle were seized from the trio, police said.

Speaking to newsmen in Kothagudem on Thursday evening, Superintendent of Police Sunil Dutt said the arrested persons revealed that several key leaders of the banned outfit and cadres were suffering from COVID in Dandakaranya forest region.

They further told that the condition of some of the ailing Maoist rebels deteriorated following the “botched treatment” by some cadres in the Maoist battalion, the SP said, reiterating his call to the “ailing” Maoists to quit the proscribed outfit and seek the help of police to get comprehensive treatment for COVID.

He called upon the Maoist cadres to desist from holding meetings with tribal people to prevent the spread of coronavirus infection.

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