Top Naxal leader killed in AP encounter

Maoists in Andhra Pradesh suffered a jolt with top Naxal leader Patel Sudhakar Reddy and another cadre being killed in an encounter with police near Hyderabad on Sunday. Reddy was allegedly involved in several cases including a bid on the life of former chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu.Reddy, a member of the central committee of CPI-Maoists, and Venkataiah were killed in the Lavella forest area in Tadwai Mandal of Warangal district about 6 am, Warangal SP V C Sajjanar said.Police received specific information about the presence of Maoists in the Lavella forest area following which a team conducted combing operation in the forest area, he said.The Maoists opened fire on seeing the policemen which was retaliated, resulting in the death of two Naxals, he said.Venkataiah was a member of Maoists district committee, he said, adding post-mortem was conducted on the bodies at a government hospital.Reddy, a native of Kurthirao Cheruvu in Mahabubnagar district, was allegedly involved in the bid on the life of Naidu at Tirupati in 2003 and killings of then home minister A Madhava Reddy in 2000 and also senior IPS officers K S Vyas and Umesh Chandra.Sudhakar Reddy was also allegedly involved in an attack on the elite Greyhounds policemen in Balimela reservoir in Andhra-Orissa border last year in which over 30 jawans were killed.Reddy alias Srikanth alias Suryam carried a reward of Rs 12 lakhs on his head. He was currently in-charge of Maoists activities in Karnataka, police said.He joined the Naxal movement in the early '80s when he was pursuing Post-Graduation in Osmania University in Hyderabad, police said.Venkatiah Alias Pranay belong to Inapur village in Cheryal Mandal of Warangal district, they said. Meanwhile, human rights activists alleged that the encounter is fake."There are reports that Sudhakar Reddy was caught before the elections and killed now. This encounter is fake. There should be an inquiry into the encounter to establish the truth," revolutionary writer and human rights activist Varavara Rao said.Reddy's encounter is the latest in the killing of several top police officials in the last decade.Santosh Reddy, Naresh, Sudarshan, Mattam Ravi Kumar, Madhav were among several Maoist leaders killed in encounters.