Rs 2.52 crore bounty for information for arrest of Naxal chief Ganapathy

NEW DELHI: An unprecedented Rs 2.52 crore cash reward has been announced for anyone giving information leading to the arrest of chief of CPI (Maoist) Muppala Lakshman Rao alias Ganapathy.

65-year-old Ganapathy is one of country's most wanted persons. This is for the first time such a huge amount has been announced for anyone who is wanted by security forces.

While Maharashtra government has announced a cash reward of Rs one crore for information about Ganapathy, Chhattisgarh government also announced Rs one crore award for his head.

Andhra Pradesh Pradesh government came out with a reward of Rs 25 lakh for Ganapathy's arrest, the National Investigation Agency will give Rs 15 lakh and Jharkhand government will also give Rs 12 lakh for any information leading to the Maoist chief's arrest.

Rs one crore will also be given to anyone who provides any information about any Politburo and central committee member of the Naxal group which has been active in nine states.

Official sources said the reward for the Politburo and central committee members will be given by different state governments and the NIA as per the latest policy.

Apart from the CPI (Maoist) chief, about a dozen Politburo and central committee members of the outfit have been eluding the police for long.

Most of these Naxal leaders are believed to be hiding in the dense jungles of Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Odisha and Maharashtra.