Three Maoist leaders surrender before police in Telangana

Hyderabad, Oct 10 (PTI) Three senior leaders of banned CPI (Maoist) surrendered before the Telangana police here on Friday.

Kunkati Venkataiah (52), Mogilicherla Venkatraju (45) and Thodem Ganga (42) laid down their arms in the presence of Telangana DGP B Shivadhar Reddy.

Speaking to reporters, Shivadhar Reddy said CPI (Maoist) polit bureau member Mallojula Venugopal (who favoured laying down arms), has issued a strong statement admitting that "whatever the party has done so far seems to be not right".

"He is the one (Venugopal) who started the discussion as Venkataiah has just rightly said, the discussion (on laying down arms) was going on in the party, though it did not come out openly. This time it came out because of the rough weather they are facing," he said, when asked about the statements of Venugopal favouring laying downs.

On reports that Maoists had tried to regroup in the coal belt of Telangana, Reddy said there was an attempt about five months ago to revive activities, but it has been inactive now.

Asked about the purported letter from the Maad division committee of Maoists (favouring surrender), he said the letter appeared credible and the reports of differences among leaders at the senior level have been emerging frequently.

The three Maoist leaders, who surrendered, have been underground for several years.

Venkataiah alias Vikas, a native of Siddipet district of Telangana, was a State Committee member and secretary/incharge of South Bastar DVC (Divsional Committee) under Dandakaranya Special Zonal Committee (DKSZC) in Chattisgarh. He has been underground since 36 years, a police release said.

Venkatraju alias Chandu, a native of Hanumakonda district, was a state committee member (SCM) and incharge of Chetna Natya Manch (CNM) in DKSZC. He has been underground since since 35 years.

Ganga alias Sony, a native of Chattisgarh, was a state committee member and member incharge of 'Janathana Sarkar' of South Bastar DVC.

Venkataiah came in contact with the members of CPI (ML) People's War Group (PWG) when he was stuyding in a government residential hostel and influenced by their revolutionary songs. He had started distributing pamphlets of PWG and joined the organisation in 1990.

Venkataiah, who held various posts in the organisation, has been working as incharge of the South Bastar Divisional Committee of DKSZC.

In May this year, due to deteriorating health, Venkataiah decided to disssociate from CPI (Maoist), the release said.

Venkatraju developed an interest in folk music early in his life and came into contact with the village campaign teams of CPI (ML) PWG in 1990.

Subsequently, he had also met late folk singer Gaddar in Hyderabad and was recruited into the organisation in 1993.

Venkatraju decided to dissociate with the organisation due to deteriorating eyesight, ideological differences and divisions within the leadership and various formations of the CPI(Maoist) in recent times.

He left CPI (Maoist) along with his wife Thodem Ganga, it said.

Ganga had joined the Dandakaranya Adivasi Mahila Sangam, a front organisation of CPI (Maoist) in 2002.

In October 2004, when her parents and relatives attempted to compel her into marriage, she chose instead to join the CPI (Maoist).

She later decided to dissociate herself from the organisation due to health issues.

The three were carrying a cash reward of Rs 20 lakh each which has been handed over to them, it said.

Inspired by the holistic and comprehensive strategy of the Telangana police towards underground cadres of CPI (Maoist), a total of 412 cadres, including one Central Committee member and four state committee members have surrendered before the state police in 2025 alone.

As of today, a total of 72 underground cadres of the CPI (Maoist) are natives of Telangana.

Out of the 12 Central Committee Members (CCMs) of the CPI (Maoist), eight are natives of Telangana, the release said.

The DGP appealed to all the underground Maoist cadres who are natives of Telangana to return to their native villages by joining the mainstream. PTI SJR SJR ROH