In the early hours of Wednesday, a combing operation by Greyhounds personnel in the Maredumilli forest near Akooru, Alluri Sitharama Raju district, led to a violent confrontation with approximately 16 armed members of the banned CPI (Maoist). This intense encounter lasted for about an hour, resulting in the deaths of three Maoists. Among the deceased were Gajarla Ravi, also known as Uday, a Central Committee member and the secretary of the Andhra Odisha Border Special Zonal Committee (AOBSZC), and Ravi Venka Chaitanya, known as Aruna, who served as a zonal committee member and secretary of the East Division overseeing the AOB region. The police recovered three AK-47 rifles from the scene.
The loss of Uday and Aruna represents a significant setback for the Maoist movement, as security forces believe it signals a potential end to Left-Wing extremism in the AOB region. Following the deaths of noted Maoist leaders Kudumula Ravi and Bakuri Venkataramana, there had been a leadership void. Kudumula succumbed to illness in 2016, while Bakuri was killed during an exchange of fire in Ramaguda later that year. This power vacuum paved the way for Uday, Aruna, and Chalapathi to assume control, aiming to revitalize Maoist efforts in the area.
Rumors circulated that Uday had perished in the Ramaguda encounter, but he managed to survive and continued leading operations within the AOBSZC. Born in Velishala, Telangana, Gajarla Ravi, aged 58, joined the Maoist movement in 1990. An active member of the Radical Student Union (RSU), he had completed his Intermediate and ITI and was trained by notable figures such as Nambala Keshava Rao and Akkiraju Haragopal. Uday was recognized not only for his military strategy but also for his ability to recruit tribal members into the movement.
Uday’s family has deep ties to the Maoist cause; both of his brothers, Gajarla Saraiah and Gajarla Ashok, were involved as well. Saraiah was killed in Warangal in 2008, while Ashok surrendered in 2015. Known as a hardcore ideologue, Uday was seen as a trusted figure among senior leadership. After significant confrontations in 2016 and 2021 that resulted in the casualties of various leaders, and following a spate of surrenders and arrests among mid-level leaders, the movement began to wane by 2022. Uday and Aruna eventually relocated to Chhattisgarh in search of safer grounds.
In May 2024, facing increased pressure in Chhattisgarh, Uday, Aruna, and Kakuri Pandana made a concerted effort to revive Maoist activities in the AOB, returning with around 30 cadres. Aruna, an educated and formidable fighter, was the widow of former Central Committee member Chalapathi, who was killed earlier this year. Hailing from the Pendurthi area of Visakhapatnam, Aruna had been directly involved in multiple high-profile cases, including orchestrating the killings of former Araku MLA Kidari Sarveswar Rao and former MLA Siveri Soma in September 2018.
Most recently, on May 7, Pandana, the final major tribal leader from the AOB, was also killed in an encounter. With the deaths of Uday and Aruna, security forces now observe a critical leadership vacuum within the movement, raising concerns about its future. This series of developments is closely monitored by anti-Maoist operatives, who believe the end of this leadership could mark a significant turning point in efforts to curb Maoist influence in the region.
Original Source: https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Visakhapatnam/death-of-uday-aruna-to-deepen-leadership-crisis-among-maoists-in-aob-region/article69709074.ece
Category : Visakhapatnam
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Publish Date: 2025-06-18 23:52:00
