Maoist leader R.K. is safe, says Varavara Rao

Hyderabad, Nov 4: Top Maoist leader, Akkiraju Haragopal, alias Ramakrishna is safe, revolutionary writer Varavara Rao has declared.

The Maoist sympathiser broke the news late Thursday night, hours after the Hyderabad High Court heard Ramakrishna's wife Sirisha's habeas corpus petition and directed her to produce in two weeks evidence in support of her allegation that he was in police custody.

Ramakrishna, popularly known as R.K., was reportedly missing since alleged exchange of fire between Maoists and the police in Malkangiri district of Odisha on October 24.

Civil rights groups and Maoist sympathisers had alleged that the member of the Communist Party of India (Maoist) Central Committee is in police custody.

Sirisha had approached the court, seeking directions to the police to produce R.K. in the court.

The Andhra Pradesh police, however, told the court that R.K. was not in their custody.

Varavara Rao said that they received information that R.K. was safe. 

"We received a phone call that R.K. is safe," he said.

He demanded that the police stop combing operations in Andhra-Odisha border area. He alleged that police gunned down innocent tribals.

The revolutionary writer claimed that nine tribals were among 31 people gunned down by the police last week.

Varavara Rao had earlier said that the Maoist leader was injured in the police operation and that he could be in police custody.

Following his announcement, the Andhra Pradesh police demanded that he reveal the whereabouts of the Maoist leader as he has many criminal cases against him.

Director General of Police N. Sambasiva Rao said baseless allegations were made against police though it was repeatedly clarified that R.K. is not in police custody.

The police chief said they should clarify why they made the allegations against police and also provide details of R.K.'s whereabouts to the police.