(Representative image)

HYDERABAD: A Maoist leader from Jharkhand , who had Rs 1.25 crore prize money on his head, surrendered before Telangana police on Monday. Oggu Burial Satwaji alias Sudhakar, originally from Nirmal district in Telangana, was a member of the outlawed Communist Party of India (Maoists) and also a member of the top decisionmaking body, the Central Committee. His wife Madhavi too surrendered with him.

Sudhakar was a key member of the Central Military Commission , which planned and executed violent strikes against the government. For the last four years, he was the in charge of Jharkhand and has been accused of being involved in several violent acts in recent years. Besides the Rs 1 crore prize money announced by Jharkhand, the Telangana government had put Rs 25 lakh on his head.

In 2017, Jharkhand police had arrested Sudhakar’s brother, B Narayan, and alleged that he had come there to collect cash and gold from Sudhakar’s associate. At the time, the cops had alleged that Sudhakar was amassing huge amounts of wealth and passing it on to his family in Nirmal.

Red leader got in touch with T cops

The Maoist leader’s mother and other relatives live in Sarangapur village in Nirmal. According to cops, it was in 1982 that Sudhakar was attracted to the Maoist movement and had become an underground cadre of then People’s War Group (PWG).

Officials say they are in the process of compiling a list of cases pending against Sudhakar and his wife in various states. National Investigation Agency too has taken up some cases against him. Sudhakar operated in Telangana in the initial years and later moved to Chhattisgarh . In 2013, he was made a member of the all-important Central Committee. “He contacted Telangana police a few days ago though he was active in Jharkhand,” a senior police official told TOI. “Both husband and wife are in our custody. We will announce the surrender in a couple of days. He is part of the Bihar-Jharkhand Area Committee, Eastern Regional Bureau and associated with the party for 35 years.”

In the last one and half years, Sudhakar is the second Central Committee member to surrender before Telangana police. In December 2017, Jinugu Narasimha Reddy had surrendered before the police.

