Naxalite with Rs 16 lakh bounty arrested in Gadchiroli

In a significant development, a 48-year-old Naxalite, Chainuram alias Sukku Watte Korsa, who was carrying a substantial reward of Rs 16 lakh on his head, was apprehended by the police in Gadchiroli, Maharashtra, on Saturday.

The police received information regarding Korsa's presence near the Maharashtra-Chhattisgarh border in Gadchiroli, where he was reportedly monitoring the movements of police parties at the posts of Jarawandi and Pendhari. Acting on this critical tip-off, personnel from C-60 Gadchiroli launched an operation along the road from Jaravandi to Sohgaon, leading to the successful apprehension of Korsa.

Hailing from Tekametta in Narayanpur district of Chhattisgarh, Korsa was reportedly involved in various criminal activities, including a shootout at Hikker in March of this year, seven other encounters, and a murder. His journey within the Naxalite ranks began as a divisional committee member in the Maad supply team in November 2016, eventually leading to his promotion as the deputy commander of the team. Given the severity of his criminal activities, the Maharashtra government had announced a substantial bounty of Rs 16 lakh on Korsa.

This arrest marks another success for the Gadchiroli police, with a total of 71 Naxalites apprehended since the beginning of 2022, reflecting the ongoing efforts to maintain law and order in the region.

Gadchiroli Superintendent of Police (SP) Neelotpal has also made a plea to active Maoist cadres to renounce violence and surrender, offering them an opportunity to lead lives with dignity.