In a significant blow to the Maoist movement along the Andhra-Odisha border, security forces gunned down three Maoists in a fierce encounter in the Maredumilli forests of Alluri Sitaramaraju district, Andhra Pradesh, early Wednesday morning. Among those killed were two top operatives of the Communist Party of India (Maoist) — Central Committee and Andhra-Odisha Border Special Zonal Committee member Gajarla Ravi, also known by his aliases Uday and Birusu, and Venkata Ravi Lakshmi Chaitanya alias Aruna. The identity of the third Maoist is yet to be confirmed. The encounter unfolded following intelligence inputs received by police on Tuesday evening, which led to an extensive combing operation in the dense forest terrain.

Aruna, one of the slain Maoists, had a long and deeply entrenched history within the insurgency. She was the widow of Maoist leader Chalapathi, who played a key role in the 2003 Alipiri bomb attack targeting Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu. Aruna’s family, too, was deeply involved in the Maoist movement — her mother Mavi and brother Azad were also part of the group and were killed in previous encounters. Her death marks the fall of yet another generational link in the long-standing Naxalite insurgency in the region. Authorities recovered an AK-47 rifle from the encounter site, underscoring the lethal potential of the group and the risks faced by security personnel.

This encounter is being seen as a tactical success for the Andhra Pradesh Police, especially in light of the growing concerns over Maoist regrouping in forest zones across the Eastern Ghats. Security operations have since been intensified in nearby regions to prevent retaliation or regrouping by other cadres. The combing operations continue as police attempt to flush out any remaining insurgents. As investigations proceed and intelligence inputs are evaluated, the encounter sends a strong message to left-wing extremist factions operating in Andhra Pradesh and neighboring states.