Hyderabad: Maoist top leader well known as RK alias Akkiraju Haragopal (58) died of illness in Chhattisgarh on Thursday. As per the sources he succumbed to chronic illness in South Bastar.

He was member of Central committee of the CPI Maoist and incharge of Andhra-Odisha Border Special Zonal Committee of the banned outfit. R.K had several cases pending against him in different States and was carrying a reward of Rs 97 lakh.

Chhattisgarh Police confirmed the death of the RK following wireless intercepts by the intelligence agencies. However the CPI Maoist is yet to release a statement confirming the report. He belongs to Tumrukota village in Guntur district in AP; he had led then CPI ML People’s War in the peace talks with the Congress Government headed by Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy in undivided Andhra Pradesh.

R.K. was injured in an exchange of fire with police in Malkangiri district of Odisha in October 2016. Thirty Maoists were killed in that encounter and initially he was reported missing.