Top Naxal leader Naganna surrenders

Naveen S Garewal
Tribune News Service
Hyderabad, August 27

Ekkanti Seetharam Reddy alias Naganna, a top Naxal Divisional Committee Member (DVCM), East Division of Andhra Orissa Border Special Zonal Committee (AOBSZC), surrendered before the police on Friday.

The surrender comes after 38 years of life as a Maoist, living underground and away from the sight of the security agencies. He surrendered before Commissioner of Police (CP), Vishnu S Warrier.

Addressing local media, Police Commissioner said Seetharam Reddy, who hails from Chinthiryala village of Aswapuram Mandal of Bhadradri-Kothagudem district, joined the Government Polytechnic College at Masab Tank in Hyderabad from 1974 to 1976, and became associated with Radical Student Union (RSU) and Radical Youth League (RYL) during this time.

He joined Peoples War Group (PWG) in the year 1981 in Bhadrachalam Dalam. In 1982, he was elevated as Dalam commander and worked in Shabari, Venkatapuram, Rampachodavaram Dalams.

In 1985 he was arrested by Donelankapalem police and lodged in Rajahmundry Central Jail from 1985 to 1987, and the following year he was released on bail. After that, Warrier said he went to his native village and engaged in agriculture from 1988 to 1991.

He again joined Ranganna Dalam of Malkangiri area in 1992 due to family problems. He worked up to 1999, in which he was elevated as Area Committee Member and worked in Pampuluru Dalam as Dalam Commander.

He was elevated DVCM of Malkangiri East Division of AOB and taught political classes to the party cadre from 2008 to 2021. He had been staying at houses of Maoist sympathisers, but now, he had decided to surrender due to ill health.

After his surrender, the Telangana DGP M Mahender Reddy appealed to the Maoist cadres to join mainstream life and take part in the nation’s advancement through constructive participation. Telangana government has offered a rehabilitation package which includes immediate relief, Rs 5 lakh towards his rehabilitation, and a cash reward of Rs. 10,000 towards expenses.