Top Maoist leader Sudershan arrested in Andhra

Hyderabad : Top Maoist leader Sudershan was Saturday arrested in Andhra Pradesh’s Khammam district bordering Chhattisgarh, police said.

Sudershan alias Sriramulu Srinivas, a member of the central committee of the Communist Party of India-Maoist, was arrested near Vyra in Khammam district.

A key figure of Andhra-Orissa Border committee of CPI-Maoist, he was carrying Rs.20 lakh reward on his head.

Hailing from Andhra Pradesh, Sudershan is a key accused in the assassination bid on then chief minister N. Chandrababu Naidu in 2003 at Alipiri near Tirupati.

He was also allegedly involved in the murder of state home minister Madhava Reddy in 1999.

He is also suspected to be involved in the kidnapping of Vineel Krishna, collector of Malkangiri district in Orissa last year.

Khammam’s Superintendent of Police A. V. Ranganath confirmed Sudershan’s arrest. He said the Maoist leader would be produced before a magistrate on Sunday.