A senior Maoist leader, Manda Ruben, surrendered to Warangal Police Commissioner Sunpreet Singh on Tuesday in Hanamkonda.
Ruben, also known as Kannanna and Manganna, had led operations as Division Committee Secretary of South Bastar and served on the Dandakaranya Special Zonal Committee. He carried a reward of ₹8 lakh. His decision to surrender stemmed from deteriorating health and disillusionment with Maoist ideology.
Born in Vangapadu village, Hanamkonda district, Ruben joined the movement in 1979 after being influenced by slain Maoist General Secretary Nambala Keshava Rao. He went underground in 1981 and operated in Bastar under Lanka Papi Reddy. Arrested in 1991, he escaped from Jagdalpur prison and rejoined the insurgency.
Between 1992 and 1999, Ruben worked in Kunta and Abujhmarh. He married Podium Bhime in 1999 under the direction of Central Committee Member Ravula Sriniva. In 2005, Ruben considered leaving the party due to illness but stayed on, managing poultry and sheep farms for the Maoists and offering shelter and intelligence.
Commissioner Singh stated Ruben’s surrender reflects growing public resentment against Maoist violence and the fading relevance of radical ideology. Ruben now plans to live peacefully with his family under the Telangana government’s Maoist rehabilitation scheme.
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