Police reached out to Bhupathi after he expressed desire to surrender: official

Mumbai, Oct 15 (PTI) Police initiated talks with senior Maoist Mallojula Venugopal Rao alias Bhupathi after he indicated his desire to lay down the arms last month, an official said on Wednesday.

Bhupathi along with 60 other cadres surrendered before police in eastern Maharashtra's Gadchiroli district two days ago.

After he issued pamphlets and press notes expressing his intent to surrender last month, Gadchiroli Police activated their intelligence network and negotiations began through sources in the Bhamragad region, said the senior police official.

Bhupathi, 69, a member of the Central Committee and Politburo of the Maoists, was one of the founding members of the People's War Group (PWG) which was formed in 1980.

He is said to have played a key role in spreading the Maoist movement in the Maharashtra-Chhattisgarh border region, the official said.

With the Left Wing Extremism (LWE) on its last legs and the conducive environment created by Gadchiroli Police, Bhupathi started thinking of laying down the arms and issued pamphlets and press notes expressing his intent, he said.

Speculation about his surrender was rife in LWE circles too, the official said.

Almost 10 days ago, Bhupathi held a meeting with villagers in Phodewada area and shared his thoughts about leaving the path of violence, he said.

A source who was in contact with him informed Gadchiroli Police in the early hours of October 13 that a group of Naxalites including Bhupathi was likely to surrender outside Hodari village in Bhamragad taluka the same evening, said the official.

Inspector General of Police - Anti-Naxal Operations Sandeep Patil, Gadchiroli Police Superintendent Nilotpal and other senior officers were monitoring the developments, he said.

Through the source, the place of surrender was decided, and the entire group was taken into safe custody, the official said.

The surrendered Naxalites were transported to Gadchiroli in six civil vehicles on the same night.

The group included one Central Committee member (Bhupathi), two Special Zonal Committee members, 10 Divisional Committee Members, one Deputy Commander, 16 Party Committee Members, six Area Committee Members and 25 members.

As many 54 weapons were recovered from them, including seven AK-47 rifles, one SG rifle, nine INSAS rifles, two carbines and a BGL launcher besides a large quantity of ammunition, the official said.

Bhupathi carried a bounty of Rs 6 crore on his head.

Growing differences between him and the top Naxal leadership in the recent months led to an internal conflict, according to sources.

Bhupathi felt that the armed struggle had failed, but other senior cadres decided to continue the fight under another leader, they said.

Bhupathi's wife Tarakka had surrendered earlier this year. PTI DC KRK