Four senior CPI (Maoist) leaders surrender in Telangana

In a major development against left-wing extremism, four senior leaders of the CPI (Maoist) surrendered to the Telangana police on Tuesday. The leaders who gave themselves up include Tippiri Thirupathi, known as Devji, Malla Raji Reddy, referred to as Sangram, Bade Chokka Rao, alias Damodar, and Nune Narsimha Reddy, identified as Ganganna.

Telangana’s Director General of Police, B. Shivadhar Reddy, described the surrender as a significant setback for the Maoist organisation. He explained that the reintegration of Damodar, the Secretary, and Ganganna, a member of the State Committee, has effectively rendered the Telangana State Committee defunct, marking the collapse of the group’s last remaining apex structure in the state.

This is part of a broader trend in Telangana, where Maoist activity has sharply declined in recent years. Since the start of 2024, the police have recorded the surrender of 591 individuals associated with the Maoist movement at various ranks. DGP Reddy highlighted that the reintegration process is crucial for encouraging cadres to give up militancy and reintegrate into society.

At present, only 11 underground CPI (Maoist) operatives are believed to remain in Telangana. Of these, just two are active within the state’s committee, while the others have moved out to continue operations in neighbouring states such as Chhattisgarh. Authorities said the surrenders mark a turning point in the state’s efforts to combat left-wing extremism and strengthen internal security, as the remaining operatives are now highly limited in number and influence.