What contingents of central police Cobras and state Greyhounds could not accomplish was managed by a simple snake at the Dandakaranya forests of Chhattisgarh. According to reports notorious Maoist leader Gundeti Shankar died of snakebite on March 18.
Sources said that Shankar alias Seshanna alias Jagan, who carried a reward of Rs10 lakh on his head, was bitten by a snake at around 2am on March 18, but he did not take any medical help thinking that it was a rat bite.
“The Maoists couldn’t identify it as a snake bite and thought it was a rat that bit the comrade and didn’t provide immediate treatment. They realised the truth and began the treatment after the venom started spreading. He died around 7.30pm on March 18,” said a police source.
Seshanna was a member of the North Telangana Special Zonal committee and chief of North Telangana State Military Commission. He was wanted for several serious offences including murders in AP and other states.
A native of Godavarikhani in Khammam district, he had been underground for the last 20 years.
Seshanna had worked in RSU in 1983 and had been recruited into the party where he initially worked as dalam member. Later, he became the Nirmal town organiser. In 1987 he was arrested and sent to the Warangal Jail till 1990.
In 1992, he went underground and became a dalam commander and worked till 1995. In 2001, he was elected NTSZC member and later became chief of North Telangana State Military Commission. He was also involved in raids on Sirpur, Singareni Coal Mines and the Bellampally Railway Station.