Only 11 Telangana Maoists still underground, DGP calls for surrender
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Telangana Director General of Police B. Shivdhar Reddy has appealed to the remaining Maoists from the state to surrender, saying only 11 Telangana-origin rebels are still underground.
Speaking on Monday, Reddy urged them to abandon violence and return to normal life. “Give up violence, lay down your arms, and join the mainstream. Return to your families and live a safe and respectable life,” he said.
The DGP said 721 Maoists from Telangana and Chhattisgarh have surrendered in the past two years. Among them were four Central Committee members, 19 State Committee members, and 36 Divisional Committee members.
Reddy said many senior Maoists who surrendered are now living peacefully in their villages with government assistance. He made a special appeal to Telangana-origin leaders still active in other states, including Ganapathi, Santosh, Mangthu, Sujatha, Rela, and Rupi, asking them to return.
He said the government was ready to provide financial assistance, rehabilitation, and a fresh start. Reddy also offered medical treatment in Hyderabad to former Maoist chief Ganapathi, who is reportedly unwell.
“If Ganapathi returns, the government will ensure proper treatment and support,” he said.
Police say Telangana, once the centre of Maoist activity in India, has seen the movement nearly collapse after years of operations and rehabilitation efforts. The movement had spread across Warangal, Adilabad, Karimnagar, and Khammam from the 1970s onward.
The biggest recent breakthrough came on March 7, when 130 Maoists surrendered before Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy in Hyderabad and handed over 124 weapons, including 31 AK-47 rifles.
Police said the People’s Liberation Guerrilla Army has effectively collapsed. Of the 11 remaining Telangana Maoists, three are women commanders.