Maoist commander Paparao died many deaths, moved around with 30-35 armed gunmen

RAIPUR: A feared Maoist commander, who for years cast a long shadow of terror over Bastar's forests and repeatedly escaped the security grid through deception and disinformation, Paparao died many deaths till he actually gave himself up to the forces.Over the years, multiple reports surfaced claiming he had died — once allegedly of a snakebite, at another time due to a kidney failure, and again, in an encounter in Bijapur earlier this year. Paparao, who led some of the worst Maoist massacres, was feared not only because of the ring of gunmen shadowing him but also for the cunning mind that was the key to building and sustaining an insurgent network across Sukma, Bijapur and parts of Bastar for almost two decades. Once known to move around with 30–35 armed cadres, his strength and influence had nearly halved in recent times. A state zonal committee member, Papa Rao carried a Rs 25 lakh bounty on his head.Sources said before deciding to surrender, he had been hiding in the inaccessible stretches of Indravati National Park, long considered a Maoist stronghold. He was also known in the region by aliases such as Sunam Chandraya, Mangu Dada and Chandranna.What made Paparao slippery and elusive, officials said, was his ability to turn "rumour into armour"."For nearly two decades, he faked his death and spun elaborate stories around it, so convincing that even security forces were misled multiple times. At times, rumours would surface that he had died of a snakebite in the forest, at other times there were reports claiming he had succumbed to a kidney failure or malaria," an officer told TOI, quoting intelligence inputs and surrendered cadres. Later on, it was revealed that Paparao, himself, masterminded his rumoured deaths. His intent was clear: to prompt forces to call off searches while he remained invisible and continued strengthening the organisation. In the remote interiors of Sukma and Bijapur, he not only consolidated the organisation but also established a parallel system named ‘Janatana Sarkar'. He was instrumental in training new cadres and is also believed to have held the entire blueprint of Maoist operations in parts of Bastar. His surrender is being seen by the police as a major win, as it will give them access to a vast reserve of intelligence on Maoist operations. He is also believed to have had detailed knowledge of the organisation's financial network, urban links and future plans.Officers believe his disclosures could expose several white-collar facilitators of Leftwing extremism while helping them track down other cadres still hiding in the forests of Sukma and Bijapur.