Surrendered Maoist Kotehonda Ravindra in ICU; rights group urges Karnataka government to act

Surrendered Maoist Kotehonda Ravindra, who is now in a Bengaluru intensive‑care unit, has been declared seriously ill, prompting the Citizens’ Initiative for Peace to demand immediate government action. The group said Ravindra’s health has deteriorated badly and that the Karnataka state government has not kept promises made at the time of his surrender to release and rehabilitate him. Advocate K.P. Sripal, who helped mediate the 2025 surrender of several Maoists, explained that Ravindra was first lodged in a Karnataka prison, staged a protest, went on hunger strike and suffered a stroke. He added that special arrangements were later made for family visits before Ravindra was transferred to a prison in Kerala. On 8 January 2025, six Maoists surrendered before then Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in Bengaluru; Ravindra followed in February 2025 and returned to the mainstream. Twenty months later, after the former chief minister became the new chief minister, the surrendered cadres are still awaiting the promised rehabilitation and reintegration. The Citizens’ Initiative for Peace has asked the Karnataka government to work with Kerala authorities to speed up the disposal of cases against Ravindra, provide legal aid, ensure medical treatment, allow family visits and be transparent about his condition. ## Context The case highlights ongoing challenges in India's effort to reintegrate former insurgents, a process that relies on both legal clearance and state‑provided support for health and livelihood.