Mallojula Venugopal Rao, known as Bhupati, surrendered to Maharashtra Police along with 60 Maoist cadres on the night of October 13–14.
The surrender happened at Fodewada village in Bhamragad. Later, officials formalized it at the Gadchiroli Police Headquarters. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis attended the event.
Bhupati, aged 70, had long topped the most-wanted list. Authorities placed bounties on him ranging from ₹1 crore to ₹10 crore across five states.
The Bhupati Maoist Surrender dealt a major blow to the insurgency. The group included two State Zonal Committee members and ten Divisional Committee members. Most cadres came from Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh.
Officials called Bhupati a key strategist and former spokesperson of the banned CPI (Maoist). He played a major role in the 2010 Dantewada ambush that killed 76 CRPF personnel.
Bhupati was born in Peddapalli to a family of freedom fighters and temple priests. He rose through the ranks and led the Dandakaranya Special Zonal Committee. His mission included building a guerrilla corridor from Goa to Kerala.
Recently, Bhupati proposed a ceasefire and called for peace talks. His surrender signals a shift in Maoist leadership. Meanwhile, security forces have ramped up operations this year. These efforts caused heavy losses to the insurgents.
The Bhupati Maoist Surrender marks a turning point in Maharashtra’s anti-Maoist campaign. Officials believe it will weaken extremist control in Gadchiroli. The event also highlights the success of rehabilitation and peace-building programs.
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