Some key figures of CPI (Maoist), who reportedly masterminded the May 25 carnage involving the ghastly killing of 30 people, including a number of Congress leaders and workers at Jiram Ghati in Chhattisgarh’s Bastar district, may still be hiding in south Bastar, intelligence sources said on Saturday.
“The masterminds of the deadly strike had taken different routes inside forests along with their commandos and security guards to escape to neighbouring states, soon after the Naxals ambushed the Congress convoy.
“Images sent by a unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), pressed into operation in the area the very next day morning, could clearly identify their movements in the forests. They were seen moving in small groups in dense forests to escape to neighbouring states,” a senior police officer quoting intelligence reports told this newspaper here.
Intelligence sources said while top Maoist leaders such as Ramanna, alias Ravulu Srinivas, secretary of Dandakaranya Special Zonal Committee, and Ganesh Uiki, alias Pakkala Hanumanth, secretary of South Bastar Regional Committee, may have managed to sneak into Orissa and Madhya Pradesh respectively, former secretary of DSZC Kosa, alias Katkam Sudarshan, who has recently been given charge of opening new fronts for the outfit in other states, may still be present in south Bastar’s Bijapur district, planning his escape either to Andhra Pradesh or into Abujhmad area, a safe haven for ultras.
“Sudarshan has reportedly been spotted in several hideouts in the southern part of Bijapur along with his 20 commandos and 90 private guards in the past couple of days. He was seen moving further deep in south towards Andhra Pradesh,” intelligence reports said. The three top Maoists were believed to have planned the May 25 ambush, while Darbha divisional committee secretary Vinod had executed the operation. Sources said two central committee members of the CPI(Maoist) were present on the attack site to oversee the operation.