The CPI (Maoist) received a major setback as one of their senior most leader and central committee member Akkiraju Hargopal alias Ramakrishna alias RK is reported to have died due to an unknown disease in the forests of South Bastar on October 14.

Though the Maoists have not released any official communication, reliable sources in police have confirmed the news.

RK, who joined the Maoist movement in the late 1970s in Kondapalli Seetha Ramaiah’s outfit PWG (People’s War Group), was currently the chief advisor of the organisation’s Andhra Odisha Border Special Zonal Committee (AOBSZC).

He also had led the peace talks during the time of then Andhra pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy in September 2004.

He reportedly died due to chronic illness at the Dandakarnya forests in Chhattisgarh’s South Bastar region.

The Maoist leader was from Guntur district of Andhra Pradesh.

Our correspondent P. Sridhar adds from Bhadradri-Kothagudem:

Social media flooded with posts in Hindi

Social media platforms were flooded with several posts in Hindi about the reported death of RK on October 14.

An ailing RK, who was carrying a reward of ₹50 lakh on his head, succumbed to illness in the Baseguda forest area in Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur district on October 14 afternoon, police sources said quoting reports originating from the Maoist stronghold of South Bastar.

RK had been suffering from chronic health issues for the past few months particularly in the aftermath of the second wave of COVID-19, police sources added.

He played a pivotal role in strengthening the base of the CPI (Maoist) in Andhra-Odisha Border (AOB) in various positions during his long underground life spanning three to four decades.

His son Prithviraj alias Munna was killed in a major “exchange of fire” with the police at Ramaguda in the AOB area in 2016.