CPI Maoists’ Telangana secretary Bade Damodar among Naxals killed in Bijapur encounter

Major setback for CPI (Maoist) as Telangana State committee secretary Bade Chokka Rao is killed in Chhattisgarh forest.

In a major setback to the outlawed CPI (Maoist) in Telangana, party State committee secretary Bade Chokka Rao alias Damodar was killed in the exchange of fire with security forces in the forest of Bijapur district in South Bastar of Chhattisgarh on Thursday (January 16).

According to a statement issued on Saturday (January 18) by Communist Party of India (Maoist) South Bastar Divisional Committee secretary Ganga, he was among those 18 Maoists killed in the exchange of fire.

Mr. Damodar aged around 55, who hails from Kalvapalli village of Sammakka Sarakka Tadvai mandal of Mulugu district, had been in the most-wanted list in Telangana and Chattisgarh, was reported to be carrying a substantial reward — ₹50 lakh — on his head.

Mr. Damodar had been working for the Maoists for the past 30 years and served as the lead of their action team in the State and was reported to be an expert in planning attacks and devising military strategies.

With the passing away of the then State secretary Haribhushan due to COVID-19 in June 2021, the Maoist party’s central committee appointed Chokka Rao as the Telangana secretary. Mr. Damodar’s elder brothers Bade Nageswar Rao and Murali, who also worked for the party, were killed by the police in different incidents of exchange of fire a several years ago. Mr. Damodar’s niece Nagajyothi, who is a BRS leader, was the Mulugu Zilla Parishad chairperson. Mr. Damodar’s wife, Madakam Kosi alias Rajitha, also member of the Maoist party, was reportedly arrested by the Kotahgudem police in 2022.

Mr. Damodar was attracted to the movement due to his two elder brothers who were already active with the then People’s War Group (PWG). He survived a few incidents of exchange of fire with the police though many believed he was killed in one of them. A senior police official from the State observed that his death is a big blow for the Maoists in Telangana and a huge victory for the police.

However, Mr. Damodar was not active in Telangana due to continuous surveillance and his operations were confined to neighbouring Chattisgarh. He reportedly made several attempts to revive the movement in Telangana but strict measures from the police successfully curbed the Maoists activity in the State.