Ten days after 40 Maoists, including four top commanders, were gunned down in an encounter in Gadchiroli, the Maharashtra Police announced a reward of Rs 1.71 crore for information about five dreaded absconding Maoists.

A public announcement – "Give Information, Earn Million" – was published in a national daily on Thursday – and is being seen as yet another measure to mount pressure on the CPI(Maoist), a banned outfit.

The wanted include Malojula Venugopal alias Bhupati alias Sonu alias Vivek alias Laxminarayan alias Lachhana Abhay (from Karimnagar, Telangana), Dipak alias Milind alias Pravin alias Arun alias Sudhir alias Sahyadri Teltumble (from Yavatmal, Maharashtra), Narmada Akka alias Alluri Usharani Kirankumar (from Guntur, Andhra Pradesh), Joganna alias Ghisu alias Chimala Narsayya (from Guntur, Andhra Pradesh) and Pahad Singh alias Ashok alias Tipu Sultan alias Kumarsai Katlami alias Baburao Topha (Rajnandgaon, Chhattisgarh).

Malojula carries a reward of Rs 60 lakh followed by Dipak (50 lakh), Narmadaakka (Rs 25 lakh), Joganna (Rs 20 lakh) and Pahad Singh (16 lakh).

“They are members of the banned CPI(Maoist). They are involved in violent activities against the state and are responsible for the killing of thousands of innocent tribals. Please help the police department in tracing them. Based on your information, if they are arrested or killed in an exchange of fire with the police, you will receive the award amount. Your name and identity would be kept confidential,” the announcement stated.

Mallojula was a Politburo and Central Military Commission member of the CPI(Maoist). He is suspected to be one of the masterminds behind the April 2010 attack in Dantewada that killed 76 jawans of the Central Reserve Police Force.