Andhra Pradesh News

Top Maoist comrade Muttanagari Jalandar Reddy surrenders to AP police

April 21, 2021
The Commune

In a serious blow to the violent Naxal movement, one of its senior leaders, Muttanagari Jalandar Reddy who was having ₹20 lakh bounty on his head surrendered to the police on Tuesday (20 April) in Andhra Pradesh. Reddy made his surrender in front of AP Director General of Police (DGP) Gautam Sawang.

The reasons given by Reddy for his surrender to the authorities were – lack of local public support, lack of recruitment from local adivasis (tribals), disillusionment with the obsolete Maoist ideology and extensive police outreach programmes.

Reddy hails from Telangana’s Siddipet district and after he completed his intermediate at government junior college in Siddipet district he was inspired by the Maoist ideology and joined the naxalite ranks as a member of the radical students union in 1998.

He had an illustrious bloodsoaked career as a Maoist guerrilla fighter and as per reports he personally led the second assault team in the Balimela ambush on June 29, 2008, in which 38 commandos of the elite Greyhounds of Andhra Pradesh Police were killed.

“He was also involved in five other important ambushes,19 exchanges of fire against security forces and seven murders in the AOB area. He also played the lead role in the kidnapping of IAS officer Vineel Krishna, the then Collector of Malkangiri district (of Odisha) in February 2011,” the DGP said.

Also, 31 Maoists surrendered to the police. Sawang appealed to the Maoists to give themselves up voluntarily and join the mainstream. “Under the surrender and rehabilitation policy, we will facilitate their mainstreaming by giving the reward amount on their head and provide employment opportunities, the DGP assured.Muttanagari Jalandar Reddy went by many aliases like Maranna, Krishna, Karuna and was a active participant on many deadly raids against the state.

He also headed the protection squad of the top Maoist leader Akkiraju Haragopal, alias Ramakrishna.

As per the government policy, Krishna would be given the reward amount of Rs 20 lakh, besides a house site. “If required, agricultural land or support for taking up self-employment will be provided to Jalandhar Reddy,” he said.

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