MALKANGIRI: The body of Maoist leader Ranadev alias Arjun who was killed in a fierce encounter in Koyur forest in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh on June 16 was brought back to his native Tekguda village under Badigeta panchayat in Kalimela block on Saturday.
Carrying a reward of Rs 5 lakh on his head, Ranadev, reportedly active in Swabhiman Anchal, was gunned down along with five others by security forces in an exchange of fire with the AP police. The body was handed over to his family.
Notably, Tekguda was a Maoist hotbed for many years but the villagers recently withdrew their support to the red rebels and decided to side with the police and administration. The setting up of eight BSF company operating bases (COBs) in Swabhiman Anchal followed by intensified joint operation in the area has put the Maoists on the backfoot, forcing them to find a new, safer hideout. Swabhiman Anchal is no longer a safe zone for them as locals in the region are now averse to violence and want development, said a police personnel on conditions of anonymity.