In a significant development for security forces in the region, a group of twenty Maoist rebels, including two high-ranking leaders, surrendered before the Director General of Police (DGP) of Telangana on Saturday. This event marks a substantial blow to the left-wing extremist outfit, coming just one-and-a-half months after the killing of top Maoist commander Madvi Hidma in an encounter in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh.
Key Leaders Lay Down Arms
The surrender was led by Barse Deva, described by police as the confidant and successor of the slain leader Hidma. Deva, a native of Sukma in Chhattisgarh, carried a reward of Rs 75 lakh on his head. DGP B Shivadhar Reddy stated that Deva was the second most important tribal leader in the CPI (Maoist) outfit and had become an expert in military strategies and explosives.
In a move that deepens the crisis for the banned organisation, Telangana state committee member Raji Reddy also surrendered. Having joined the People's War Group in April 1997, his departure leaves the state committee with just one member—its secretary, Damodar. Raji Reddy's wife, A Eshwari, who is a divisional committee member, was also among the nineteen others who surrendered alongside him.
A Massive Arsenal Recovered
The surrendering group did not come empty-handed. They led the police to hidden 'arms dumps' of the People's Liberation Guerrilla Army (PLGA), turning over a formidable cache of weaponry. The haul included:
- 48 weapons in total
- Sophisticated assault rifles including an Israeli Tavor and a US-made Colt rifle
- 8 AK-47s and 10 INSAS rifles
- 8 Self-Loading Rifles (SLRs) and 2 Light Machine Guns (LMGs)
- 4 Barrel Grenade Launchers (BGLs)
- Over 2,200 rounds of ammunition
In addition to the weapons, the Maoists handed over Rs 20 lakh in cash to the police.
Existential Crisis and a Call to Surrender
The surrender of Raji Reddy has pushed the Telangana state committee of the CPI (Maoist) to the brink of collapse. With only its secretary remaining, the committee's operational capacity is severely crippled. This event signals a potential turning point in the state's long-standing battle against left-wing extremism.
After surrendering, Raji Reddy made a public appeal to other members of the Telangana state committee to give up arms. He stated, "In the prevailing conditions, where advanced technology is available, there is no scope for armed struggle." His statement underscores a growing sentiment within some factions of the movement about the futility of violence in the modern era.
The DGP provided context, explaining that after Hidma was promoted and left the PLGA in November 2023, he personally named Barse Deva as his successor, deputing him as the PLGA battalion commander. The recent events represent a rapid unravelling of that leadership structure, dealing a severe tactical and psychological blow to the Maoist cadre in the region.
