Hyderabad: The CPI (Maoist) Telangana state Committee secretary Haribhushan has died of a heart attack after testing positive for COVID-19, police said on Wednesday.
Haribhushan (50) died on June 21 following a heart attack after testing positive for the virus, police in Bhadradri- Kothagudem said, quoting information received by them.
Police, in a release, claimed that his death was a major blow to the proscribed organisation’s activities in Telangana.
They said that despite indicating that senior Maoist leaders, besides lower-rung members and militia, have tested positive for the virus, its leaders have issued statements, saying that none have been infected.
The top CPI (Maoist) leaders have to take responsibility for the deaths of Haribhushan and other leaders, including Nandu and Sobrai, which occurred due to unavailability of proper treatment, police said
The Maoist leadership is violating human rights by not allowing any of their cadres who want to leave the organisation to do so, it said.
Police urged COVID-19 affected Maoist leaders to surrender and avail of better treatment and said they would take up the responsibility of them getting all due benefits from the government.
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