In a major shift within the banned CPI (Maoist) organization, Thippiri Tirupathi, alias Devji, has been appointed as the new General Secretary, replacing the late Basavaraju.
Tirupathi, a veteran insurgent from Karimnagar district in Telangana, joined the Maoist cadre in 1983 and is considered the architect of South India’s guerrilla zone, stretching from Goa to Kerala.
Tirupathi is believed to be the mastermind behind the 2010 Dantewada massacre, which claimed the lives of 76 CRPF personnel, and the 2007 Ranibodali attack in Bijapur. He previously led the Central Military Commission and briefly headed the West Bengal unit after Kishenji’s death. The National Investigation Agency has placed a ₹10 lakh bounty on him.
Alongside Tirupathi’s elevation, Madvi Hidma—one of India’s most-wanted Maoists—has been appointed Secretary of the Dandakaranya Special Zonal Committee, overseeing operations in Bastar. Hidma, who commands the PLGA’s 1st Battalion, narrowly escaped capture during a month-long joint operation in the Karreguttalu hills earlier this year.
The leadership overhaul comes amid Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s declaration that Naxalism will be eradicated by 2026. Government data shows a 53% drop in Naxal violence over the past decade, with 226 insurgents killed and 896 surrendering this year alone.
Security forces remain on high alert as the CPI (Maoist) attempts to regroup and reinforce its presence in central India.
