CH NEWS, TUMAKURU
A fugitive masquerading as an insurgent was captured following a massive manhunt across the Pavagada hills, ending a month of heightened alarm, law enforcement officials announced on Wednesday.
The suspect, identified as Kanikalabande Venkatesh, had evaded authorities after being named in multiple criminal cases involving extortion and explosive devices. Acting on credible intelligence that he was taking refuge in the rugged terrain of the Kadamalakunte hills near Pavagada town, district police deployed a specialized combing force of over 250 personnel. Officers cordoned off the rocky area overnight, tracked him down, and took him into custody without incident. He was subsequently subjected to a medical examination before formal questioning.
Police had launched the high-stakes search operation in August, after Venkatesh allegedly attempted to trigger a crude explosive near an agricultural pump set in Kanikalabande village. The blast attempt spread panic across the taluk. While officers quickly arrested five accomplices—including his wife, Savitramma, and two sons—Venkatesh fled into the wilderness, remaining on the run.
Investigations revealed that he also operated an extortion racket using insurgent threats. He allegedly left letters written in Telugu under the banner of the outlawed outfit ‘CPI People’s War Janashakti Devanna Dalam’ near private farmland in Gangasagara, demanding five lakh rupees from a local farmer named Nagabhushana. Additionally, he faces charges for intercepting commuters and extorting money on rural roads.
Records show Venkatesh has a history of crime, with ten previous cases filed between 2012 and 2019 across Pavagada for theft and robbery. Furthermore, he faces pending cases in Andhra Pradesh for murder and attempted murder.
Pavagada police are producing the accused before a local magistrate to seek custodial remand for detailed interrogation, expecting more revelations as the inquiry proceeds.