Top Maoist commander chooses love,drops out of sight

While a host of senior cadres in the region have recently left to raise a family,none of them stayed back in Dandakaranya,fearing both the police and Maoists. However,Bhima chose to remain in the forest he was born in and spent his life.

A Gond,he tried to lead a normal tribal life,and settled down not far from his native village Palemadgu in Sukma district.

However,threats from both sides kept Bhima on the move. Villagers in Bodaras said he was there for 45 days a month ago. “He asked us not to tell anyone he was here,” said a villager. “One day he left,probably for Andhra Pradesh.”

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His family in Palemadgu says it has no idea where he is.

Days after he had abducted Sukma collector Alex Paul Menon,Bhima had cited the poor condition of tribals as the reason behind the kidnapping,and said he was determined to win against the “Indian state”.

While rehabilitation has proved difficult for many former Naxals,Bhima may have one thing going for him. He and his wife are now lost faces somewhere; the Chhattisgarh or Andhra Police has no photographs of him.