Chhattisgarh, Dec 24: Chhattisgarh police arrested senior Maoist leader Prabhakar, also known as Balmuri Narayan Rao, on Sunday in a significant operation in Antagarh, Kanker district. Prabhakar, a key member of the banned Communist Party of India (Maoist), has been active in the insurgency for over four decades and has operated across several states in India.
The Chhattisgarh government had previously announced a ₹25 lakh reward for information leading to Prabhakar’s capture. His arrest follows intelligence gathered by the police, confirming his involvement in Maoist activities in the region.
Prabhakar, aged 57, has been a prominent figure in the CPI (Maoist), serving in critical roles such as overseeing the logistics supply chain and managing the Mobile Political School (MOPOS) team within the North Sub-Zonal Bureau. He is said to have maintained strong ties with top Maoist leaders, including Ganpati, Basva Raju, K Ramchandra Reddy, Devji Kuma Dada, Kosa, Sonu, and Mallaraja Reddy.
“Prabhakar has played a crucial role in the operations of the Dandakaranya Special Zonal Committee (DKSZC) and the MOPOS, which are vital to the Maoist movement,” said a senior police officer involved in the operation.
Prabhakar’s involvement in Maoist activities dates back to 1984, when he first joined the group in undivided Andhra Pradesh. Over the years, he expanded his operations to various regions, including Balaghat in Madhya Pradesh, North Bastar, and Koyalibeda. From 2005 to 2007, he headed the DKSZC supply team and the Urban Network, before taking charge of DKSZC supply and MOPOS operations in 2008.
Inspector General of Police, Bastar Range, Sundarraj P, praised the arrest as a major breakthrough in the ongoing crackdown on Maoist insurgents. “Since the beginning of 2024, 884 Maoist cadres have been arrested in the Bastar division. We remain committed to continuing our efforts against Maoist activities,” he said.
