Hyderabad, February 24 – In a major blow to the banned Communist Party of India (Maoist), four top Maoist leaders, including Thippiri Tirupati alias Devuji, and Malla Raji Reddy alias Sangram, surrendered to the Telangana Police, officials announced on Tuesday.
Devuji, a member of the CPI-Maoist Central Committee and Polit Bureau, and In-charge of the Central Military Commission (CMC), who is also known as Kumma Dada, along with Malla Raji Reddy, a member of the Telangana State Committee (TSC), and Bade Chokka Rao alias Damodar alias Jagan, another member of the TSC, and Nune Narsimha Reddy alias Ganganna alias Sannu Dada, a member of the State Committee, were presented to the media by Telangana Director General of Police (DGP) B. Shivadhar Reddy.
Devuji, 62, hailed from Korutla in the Jagtial district. He stated that he surrendered due to health reasons.
He also said that he intends to remain active in public life and work to solve people's problems within the legal framework.
DGP Reddy stated that with the surrender of Devuji and Raji Reddy, the last surviving body of the CPI-Maoist has been dismantled.
Similarly, the Telangana State Committee has been rendered ineffective with the surrender of Chokka Rao and Narsimha Reddy, the DGP added.
Devuji and Malla Reddy have been underground for 44 and 46 years respectively. Chokka Rao and Narasimha Reddy were also active in the Maoist movement for 28 and 36 years respectively.
Devuji married Arike Jaini alias Srujana of Maharashtra in 1991. She was a member of the CPI (Maoist) in Perimeli Dalam when she married Devuji. She was promoted to the rank of Regional Committee Member and died in 2020 in an exchange of fire in Gadchiroli district, Maharashtra.
During his education at Junior College in Korutla, Devuji became involved in 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 the armed squad.
In 2017, Devuji assumed the role of In-charge of the CMC and was subsequently elected as a Polit Bureau Member, a position he continues to hold.
Additionally, following the surrender of Mallojula Venugopal alias Sonu, a Polit Bureau member of the CPI-Maoist, he has been acting as the official spokesperson of the CPI-Maoist under the name 'Abhay'.
Malla Raji Reddy, 76, is from Shastrulapalle village in Peddapally district. He completed his intermediate in 1971 and joined the RSU in 1974.
He was arrested in Korutla and Jagtial in 1976 and released in September 1977.
He was arrested in 2007 while attending CPI-Maoist organizational work in Kerala. He was released in 2009 and went back underground.
In 2022, he was transferred to the Dandakaranya Special Zonal Committee (DSZC) and appointed its In-charge and continues to hold that position.
Chokka Rao, 74, resides in Kalvapalli village in Mulugu district of Telangana.
Narsimha Reddy, 62, hails from Vallur village in Guntur district of Andhra Pradesh.
The Telangana DGP stated that 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 differences, internal conflicts, and growing disillusionment have further weakened the organization.
"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 each received a reward of Rs 25 lakh, while Chokka Rao and Narasimha Reddy each received a reward of Rs 20 lakh. They have been given the reward amount as per the Telangana government's rehabilitation policy," he added.
State DGP Shivadhar Reddy said that a total of 591 Maoists have surrendered to the Telangana Police since 2024. This includes four members of the CPI-Maoist Central Committee and 16 members of the State Committee.
He added that only 11 underground CPI-Maoist cadres, who are native to Telangana, are left. These are currently working in the Telangana State Committee, while the others are operating in other states, including Chhattisgarh.
"Of the three Central Committee members of the CPI-Maoist, two are native to Telangana," the DGP said.
The DGP appealed to all the remaining underground CPI-Maoist cadres, particularly the 11 cadres who are native to Telangana, to renounce violence, return to their native villages/towns, reunite with their families, and contribute constructively to the development of the state.
