Bhopal: Maoist leader Ravula Srinivas alias Ramanna, 56, the mastermind behind a number of deadly Naxal attacks on security forces in Bastar in the last decade, died of cardiac arrest in the night of December seven, Intelligence inputs have suggested.
Ramanna, who was secretary of Dandakaranya Special Zonal Committee, considered the deadly unit of outlawed CPI (Maoist) in India, was believed to have died of heart attack in a forested village located between Palmed and Basaguda in south Bastar district of Bijapur on Saturday night, Bastar range inspector general of police P. Sunderraj told this newspaper on Tuesday. Ramanna carried a bounty of `40 lakh on his head. He was born in Bekkal village of Maddur mandal in Telangana’s Siddipet district.
“News of Ramanna’s death has been making rounds for the last several days. We are not yet in a position to confirm Ramanna’s death officially as his body was not recovered. But, evidence and inputs corroborated his death,” Sunderraj said.
Known in Maoist circle as ruthless strategist, Ramanna was drafted in Central Committee of CPI (Maoist) in 2014 after the DKSZC under his leadership carried out some of deadly Naxal attacks leading to killing of 76 CRPF jawans in Sukma in April, 2010 and massacre of 27 Congress leaders of Chhattisgarh at Jheeram Ghati in Bastar district in May, 2013.
He was also the brain behind abduction of the then Sukma district collector Alex Paul Menon in 2011. Ramanna had also masterminded the Maoist ambush on a CRPF party in Burkhapal in Sukma district in 2017, killing 27 jawans.
