47 Maoist cadres surrender in Telangana with 32 weapons

Forty-seven CPI (Maoist) cadres surrendered before Telangana DGP, along with 32 weapons and ammunition. Police said 818 cadres have surrendered since 2024, calling it a major setback for Maoist operations and urging remaining leaders to join the mainstream.

Hyderabad: A total of 47 underground CPI (Maoist) cadres of various ranks surrendered before the Telangana DGP, B Shivadhar Reddy, on Saturday.

The cadres also surrendered 32 firearms, including a light machine gun and four AK-47 rifles, and 515 live ammunition of various calibres.

Among those who surrendered are Hemla Iythu alias Vijja, DKSZC Member and in charge of South Bastar, Podium Lachu alias Manoj, DVCM and Commander of 9th platoon.

All the 47 cadres are natives of Chhattisgarh State. An interim relief of Rs 25,000 each has been handed over to all the surrendered cadres.

Director General of Police, B Shivadhar Reddy, said that following the surrender of all key leaders of the CPI (Maoist), almost all remaining underground key leaders and armed cadres from the South Bastar Divisional Committee of Dandakaranya Special Zonal Committee, including its secretary, have now been neutralised, leaving the South Bastar Divisional Committee on the brink of collapse.

Between 2024 and April 2026, a total of 818 CPI (Maoist) of different ranks have surrendered to the police.

“During this year, a total of 260 underground CPI (Maoist) cadres have surrendered in Telangana, reflecting the growing trust in the government’s rehabilitation policies and the sustained pressure created by security forces. The surrender of top and mid-level leadership clearly indicates a decisive blow to the organisational structure of CPI (Maoist),” said DGP B Shivadhar Reddy.

The DGP said that now only four active underground cadres from Telangana remain active in various formations outside Telangana.

All four UG cadres are operating in other States, including Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand, two (02) among them are Central Committee Members of CPI (Maoist).

“With Ganapathi away from active CPI (Maoist) activity since 2007, though a nominal Central Committee Member, considering history of People’s War /CPI (Maoist), he is the only significant cadre left from Telangana,” said the DGP, who appealed to the four CPI (Maoist) leaders Muppala Laxman Rao alias Ganapathi; Pasanuri Narahari alias Santhosh; Jade Ratna Bai alias Sujatha and Vartha Shekhar alias Mangthu, SCM to lay down armed struggle and join the mainstream.