Mallojula Venugopal Rao, a former Naxal commander known as Bhupathi, has joined Gondwana University's 'Ekal' programme in Gadchiroli, Maharashtra. He will work as a coordinator to help tribal villagers secure their legal rights, including those under the PESA and Forest Rights Acts, marking a significant shift from his past as a feared Maoist strategist.
Telangana Police's Special Intelligence Branch, led by officer B Sumathi, successfully negotiated the surrender of top Maoist commander Thippiri Tirupati alias Devuji and other Maoist leaders, marking a significant victory for the state.
Senior Naxalite Mallojula Venugopal Rao, also known as Bhupathi, surrendered to police in Maharashtra's Gadchiroli district along with 60 other cadres. Bhupathi, a key strategist in the banned organization, carried a significant bounty.
Top Maoist commander Thippiri Tirupati alias Devji has surrendered to police, marking a significant blow to the outlawed organisation. His surrender comes ahead of the Union government's deadline to eliminate Naxalism.
Chhattisgarh Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma met surrendered Naxalites at a rehabilitation center in Sukma, offering them a visit to the state assembly and directing officials to improve their living conditions and opportunities.
Senior Maoist leader Mallojula Venugopal Rao alias Bhupathi surrendered to police in eastern Maharashtra's Gadchiroli district after negotiations. He was a founding member of the People's War Group (PWG) and carried a bounty of Rs 6 crore on his head.
Two senior leaders of the banned CPI (Maoist), including a Central Committee Member underground for over four decades, surrendered to Telangana police, citing health issues, pressure from security forces, and ideological differences.
Three senior leaders of the banned CPI (Maoist) surrendered to the Telangana police. The leaders cited health issues, ideological differences, and changing socio-political circumstances as reasons for their surrender. The Telangana DGP appealed to other underground Maoist cadres to return to the mainstream.
'The biggest game changer has been the belief among Maoists that they can surrender and join the mainstream'
139 Naxalite cadres surrendered in Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh, marking a significant turning point in the fight against Left Wing Extremism. The surrenders included a top Maoist strategist and were hailed as a sign of the movement's decline.
After recent high-intensity operations in the Bastar region and the neutralisation of several senior Maoist leaders, officials say the insurgency has lost its ability to mount large-scale coordinated attacks.
The Chhattisgarh High Court has ruled that anti-Naxal operations, as part of regular counter-insurgency measures, should not be investigated by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) unless exceptional circumstances justify such intervention. The ruling came as the court dismissed a petition seeking an SIT probe into the killing of a Maoist leader in Narayanpur district.
'The watershed moment was June 22, 2024, when the divisional in-charge of Gadchiroli, Giridhar Tumreti, who was their senior-most commander, along with his wife, came forward to surrender before the then deputy chief minister and home minister Devendra Fadnavis.'
