Hyderabad.24.02.2026: In a major development impacting Left Wing Extremism in the region, top Maoists surrender in Telangana as four of the most senior underground leaders of the banned CPI (Maoist) laid down arms and joined the mainstream.
The surrender took place in the presence of Telangana Director General of Police B. Shivadhar Reddy on February 24, 2026, marking what officials described as a decisive blow to the organisation’s leadership structure.
Key Highlights
- Four senior CPI (Maoist) leaders surrendered before Telangana Police
- Includes a Politburo member and two Central Committee members
- Leaders were underground for up to 46 years
- Only one active Central Committee member now remains
- ₹90 lakh disbursed under rehabilitation policy
Top Maoists surrender in Telangana: Who are the leaders?
The leaders who renounced armed struggle include Politburo Member and Central Committee Member Tippiri Thirupati alias Devuji alias Kumma Dada, Central Committee Member Malla Raji Reddy alias Sangram, Telangana State Committee Secretary Bade Chokka Rao alias Damodar alias Jagan, and State Committee Member Nune Narsimha Reddy alias Ganganna alias Sannu Dada.
According to the police, Devuji had remained underground for 44 years, Raji Reddy for 46 years, Damodar for 28 years, and Narsimha Reddy for 36 years.
Collapse of CPI (Maoist) apex leadership
Addressing the media, DGP B. Shivadhar Reddy said the surrender of a Politburo member and a Central Committee member has effectively dismantled the organisation’s apex structure.
He stated that the Telangana State Committee has also become defunct following the surrender of its secretary and a key member. With this, only one active member remains in the CPI (Maoist) Central Committee.
Only one active Central Committee member left
The DGP described the situation as an imminent organisational collapse, noting that sustained security operations and internal discontent have severely weakened the outfit.
Devuji’s journey in the Maoist movement
Tippiri Thirupati alias Devuji, aged 62 and a native of Korutla in Jagtial district, joined the movement in the early 1980s after involvement in student politics.
He later served as a commander in Dandakaranya squads, became a Central Committee member, and eventually rose to the Politburo. He also functioned as in-charge of the Central Military Commission and acted as the organisation’s spokesperson under the pseudonym ‘Abhay’.
Raji Reddy associated with Maoist movement since 1970s
Malla Raji Reddy, aged 76 and hailing from Peddapally district, had been associated with the movement since the 1970s. He played a major role in Dandakaranya operations and served in the Regional Bureau.
He was elevated to the Politburo in 2007 and had previously been arrested before returning to underground activities.
Role of Telangana State Committee leaders
Bade Chokka Rao, 47, from Mulugu district, progressed through area committee roles and became Secretary of the Telangana State Committee in January 2025.
Nune Narsimha Reddy, 62, originally from Guntur district in Andhra Pradesh, worked extensively in political education wings and later served in the Dandakaranya Special Zonal Committee before being shifted to Telangana.
Reasons behind Maoist decline
Police attributed the surrenders to widening ideological differences, internal rifts, shrinking support bases, and continuous security pressure that disrupted logistics and mobility.
Five reasons cited for organisational collapse
- Continuous security operations disrupting networks
- Ideological dissatisfaction among cadres
- Internal conflicts and leadership fragmentation
- Shrinking support bases and reduced mobility
- Only one active Central Committee member remaining
544 Maoist cadres surrendered in 2025–2026
Police data revealed that 544 underground cadres surrendered during 2025 and 2026. This includes four Central Committee members, 15 State Committee members, 25 Divisional Committee Secretaries, 63 Area Committee members, and 437 party members.
Under the State and Central rehabilitation policy, Devuji and Raji Reddy received ₹25 lakh each, while Damodar and Narsimha Reddy received ₹20 lakh each, totalling ₹90 lakh.
Call to remaining cadres
The DGP recalled Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy’s appeal made in October 2025, urging Maoist cadres to abandon violence and participate in the State’s development process.
He said the decision of the four senior leaders reflects a conscious shift toward a peaceful and dignified life within the constitutional framework.
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