Top Maoist Leaders Surrender in Telangana, Ending Decades Underground

CPI-Maoist Central Committee Member, Polit Bureau Member and Central Military Commission (CMC) In-charge Devuji, who is also known as Kumma dada, Central Committee Member Malla Raji Reddy, Telangana State Committee (TSC) Secretary Bade Chokka Rao alias Damodar alias Jagan; and State Committee Member Nune Narsimha Reddy alias Ganganna alias Sannu Dada were produced before media by the Telangana Director General of Police (DGP) B. Shivadhar Reddy here.

While three of the surrendered Maoists are from Telangana, Narasimha Reddy is from the neighbouring Andhra Pradesh.

62-year-old Devuji hailed from Korutla of Jagtial district.

Devuji, who was underground for four decades, told media that he surrendered due to ill-health.

He said that in future he will be active in public life and work with the same ideology to solve people's problems but within the legal framework.

The DGP said that with the surrender of Devuji and Raji Reddy, the last surviving apex organisational body of CPI-Maoist, has collapsed.

Simultaneously, the Telangana State Committee of the organisation has been rendered defunct with the surrender of Chokka Rao and Narsimha Reddy, the Telangana DGP said.

Devuji has been underground for 44 years while Malla Reddy was underground for 46 years.

Chokka Rao and Narasimha Reddy were also active in the Maoist movement for 28 years and 36 years respectively.

Devuji married Arike Jaini alias Srujana of Maharashtra in 1991.

She was a CPI (Maoist) member in Perimeli Dalam when she married Devuji.

She was elevated to the rank of Regional Committee Member and died in 2020 in an exchange of fire in Maharashtra's Gadchiroli district.

During education at Junior College in Korutla, Devuji was attracted to revolutionary politics and joined the Radical Students Union (RSU). He joined the CPI-ML People's War in January 1982, and in April 1984 he was sent to Dandakaranya by Muppala Laxman Rao alias Ganapathi along with Malla Raji Reddy to work in armed squad.

In 2017, Devuji assumed charge as in-charge of the CMC and was subsequently elected as a Politburo Member, a position he continues to hold till date.

Additionally, following the surrender of Mallojula Venugopal alias Sonu, a CPI-Maoist Politburo member, he has been acting as the official spokesperson of the CPI-Maoist by the name of 'Abhay'.

Malla Raji Reddy, 76, is a native of Shastrulapalle village in Peddapally district.

In 1971, Raji Reddy completed his intermediate and joined the RSU in 1974.

In 1976, he was arrested in Korutla and Jagtial cases and was released in September 1977.

Raji Reddy was arrested in 2007 when he was attending the CPI-Maoist organisational work in Kerala.

In 2009, he was released from jail and again went underground.

In 2022, he was transferred to Dandakaranya Special Zonal Committee (DSZC) and made its in-charge and is continuing as in-charge of DKSZC till now.

Chokka Rao, 74, is a resident of Kalvapalli village in Mulugu district of Telangana.

Narsimha Reddy, 62, hails from Vallur village in Guntur district of Andhra Pradesh.

The Telangana DGP said these top Maoist leaders rejoined the mainstream following the appeal made by Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy last year to CPI-Maoist cadres to renounce violence, return to the mainstream, and actively participate in the development and welfare of the state and its people.

He added that ideological divergence, internal rifts, and growing disillusionment have further eroded organisational cohesion.

"This decision represents a positive, conscious, and pragmatic response to the state government's appeal and a clear rejection of the path of extremism," he said.

"Devuji and Raji Reddy carried a reward of Rs 25 lakh each while Chokka Rao and Narasimha Reddy carried a reward of Rs 20 lakh each. They have been given the reward amount as per the Telangana government's rehabilitation policy."

State DGP Shivadhar Reddy said a total of 591 Maoists have surrendered before the Telangana Police since 2024. They include four CPI-Maoist Central Committee Members and 16 State Committee Members.

He added that now only 11 underground CPI-Maoist cadres, who are native of Telangana are left over.

"Of these, only two Area Committee are presently working in Telangana State Committee, while the remaining are operating in other states, including Chhattisgarh."

"Out of three Central Committee Members of the CPI-Maoist, two are native of Telangana," the Telangana DGP said.

The DGP appealed to all the remaining underground CPI-Maoist cadres, particularly the 11 underground cadres, who are natives of Telangana, to renounce violence, return to their native villages/towns, reunite with their families, and contribute constructively to the development of the state.

- IANS