Hardcore Maoist Sriramula Srinivas alias Sudarshan, wanted in connection with several cases including the killing of former Andhra Home Minister A Madhava Reddy and carrying a reward of Rs 20 lakh on him, was arrested in Khammam district, police said on Sunday.
Srinivas was released from jail in exchange of the release of then Malkangiri Collector R Vineel Krishna, who was taken hostage by Maoists and later let off in Odisha in 2011.
A key leader of the Andhra Orissa Border Special Zonal Committee, Srivinas (around 55) was nabbed near Wyra forest area of Khammam on Saturday night after police fired at his leg and caught hold of him, they said.
Police had intensified checking in the area after Sudarshan had escaped during vehicle checking operation on Friday.
Sudarshan, who had fled inside Wyra village, attacked villagers with stones after some of them spotted him on Saturday, Khammam SP A V Ranganath told PTI.
A police team went to the spot after locals alerted them. Sudarshan continued hurling stones on them also in order to flee, but police fired one round on his left leg and immediately caught hold of him, the SP said.
A native of Nalgonda district, Sudarshan had been involved in Naxal activities and wanted in several offences committed in Andhra Pradesh and Odisha over the past over 25 years, the senior police official said.
The Maoist was involved in the killing of former Home Minister Reddy in a landmine blast and was carrying a reward of Rs 20 lakh on his head, Ranganath said.
"As of now he (Sudarshan) is undergoing treatment for the bullet injury sustained on his lower part of the leg. He will be produced before a magistrate by this evening for judicial remand," the SP added.
