Two senior Maoist leaders surrendered in Telangana along with 21 cadres, marking a significant blow to the outlawed organisation.
Thippiri Tirupathi alias Devji, 60, a Maoist commander, and Malla Raji Reddy alias Sangram, 76, a central committee-cum-politburo member, laid down arms before the Special Intelligence Bureau in Komaram-Bheem Asifabad district.
Devji, hailing from Jagtial district, was believed to have succeeded CPI (Maoist) general secretary Nambala Keshav Rao alias Basavaraju, who died in an encounter last year. Sources confirmed that the surrender came weeks before the Centre’s March 31 deadline to eliminate Naxalism.
Officials said Devji and Reddy had been sending feelers to police after a massive anti-rebel operation in Karreguttalu Hills along the Telangana-Chhattisgarh border. Security forces mounted pressure through families and friends, while Telangana DGP appealed to leaders to join the mainstream.
Since January 2024, security forces have killed over 500 Maoists, mostly in Chhattisgarh. Several top leaders and hundreds of cadres have surrendered, including politburo member Mallojula Venugopal Rao, considered the ideological head of the outfit. Rao admitted in an interview that the Maoist movement failed to adapt to changing political realities.
An official announcement of the latest surrender will follow after formalisation. The leaders are expected to be presented before the media in the presence of the Telangana police top brass. Security forces across Chhattisgarh, Telangana, Odisha, and Maharashtra continue coordinated operations to track remaining Maoist leaders.
