Voivode Krastyo Zahariev

Krastyo Zahariev was born in 1860 in Orehovets. He became a hajduk and deputy to Stoyo Kostov, later settling in Dupnitsa.

In 1895, he and Kostov took part in the Macedonian Committee's armed campaign. After the burning of Dospat, they left the detachment for the Serres region and attacked a wealthy Turkish estate owner from Alistrati. Their commander, Dyado Stoyo, was killed. In an unclear account, the source says Zahariev gained control with help from the estate's resistance and destroyed the commander's body to obscure the circumstances of his death.

In 1897, during the Greco-Turkish War, a Supreme Committee band was formed in Dupnitsa under Zahariev. Its members included Yane Sandanski. It fought Turkish troops in several engagements, including a major clash at Debeli Rid without losses to the band. After further clashes and casualties, Zahariev returned to Bulgaria.

In May 1897, on Gotse Delchev's instructions, Zahariev formed an organising band in Bulgaria and crossed into Macedonia. It failed to achieve the expected results and returned after several clashes with pursuit detachments. Zahariev subsequently refused to join IMARO.

He was killed on 27 August 1899 while travelling towards Bulgaria, in a clash with Ottoman soldiers near the Vlach huts at Lopovo in the Melnik region. His brother Ivan Zahariev and Stoyan Angelov of Reshkovo also died. Contemporaries alleged that IMARO activists Todor Kapatovaliyata and the teacher Kosta Kalimantsaliyata had betrayed them.