Surrender of 4 top Maoists in Telangana a watershed moment in anti-LWE fight: Chhattisgarh police

Raipur, Feb 24 (PTI) The surrender of Maoists' politburo member Devuji alias Thippiri Tirupati and three other senior operatives in Telangana marks a watershed moment in efforts to end Left Wing Extremism (LWE) in the country, a senior Chhattisgarh police official said on Tuesday.

The gradual weakening of the Maoist leadership structure points toward the organisation's eventual collapse and the end of decades-long bloodshed, Inspector General of Police, Bastar Range Sundarraj Pattilingam, said.

The four senior Maoist cadres - Devji (62), Central Committee member Malla Raji Reddy alias Sangram (76), Telangana state committee secretary Bade Chokka Rao alias Damodar, and Dandakaranya Special Zonal Committee (DKSZC) member Ganganna - were key figures in the top hierarchy of the banned CPI (Maoist) and had spent several decades underground, he said.

Their decision to renounce violence and armed struggle reflects a decisive shift in ground realities and a clear acknowledgement that the space for violence is shrinking, while the scope for peace and development continues to expand, he said.

Pattilingam noted that sustained operations by security forces in the Bastar region - which shares borders with Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and Maharashtra - along with improved governance and rising aspirations among local communities, have steadily created an environment conducive to change.

"When cadres of such seniority step away after three to four decades underground, it underscores a growing realisation within the ranks that the path of extremism has reached its limits," he said.

"Today's development is both symbolic and consequential. It sends a strong signal to the remaining cadres that the movement no longer holds the authority or conviction it once projected. At the same time, it strengthens public confidence that lasting peace is not a distant goal but an emerging reality," he said.

The IGP said Bastar, a region that has endured years of violence and disruption, is now poised to accelerate its journey toward lasting stability.

He appealed to the remaining cadres to recognise the changing circumstances and return to the mainstream, assuring them that the path of rehabilitation and dignified reintegration remains open, even as security forces remain firm in safeguarding peace and protecting citizens.

"The era of violence is drawing to a close, and the future lies in peace, progress and the aspirations of the local communities," Pattilingam said.

According to officials, 532 Maoists have been neutralised, 2,704 ultras have surrendered and 2,004 have been arrested over the past two years in Chhattisgarh.

Among the most notable operations in the state was the killing of Nambala Keshav Rao alias Basavaraju (70), the general secretary and top leader of the outlawed Communist Party of India (Maoist), along with five Central Committee members - Ramachandra Reddy alias Jairam alias Chalpati, Gautam alias Sudhakar, Modem Balakrishna, Raju Dada alias Katta Ramachandra Reddy and Kosa Dada alias Kadari Satyanarayana Reddy - last year.

Some other top operatives were neutralised or surrendered in neighbouring states.

According to officials, only two top operatives Mupalla Laxman Rao alias Ganapathi, a politburo member and advisor to the Central Committee, and Mishir Besra alias Bhaskar, a politburo and Central Committee member, remain active in the organisation. PTI TKP NP