Major Maoist Surrender in Telangana: Top Commander Among 40 Cadres Lays Down Arms
In a development that marks a critical turning point in the fight against left-wing extremism, approximately 40 Maoist cadres, including senior commander Sodi Keshalu, have surrendered before the Telangana police. This mass surrender has effectively brought the active Maoist cadre strength within Telangana state to an almost negligible level, representing a major victory for security forces in the region.
Key Commander and Deputy Leader Surrenders
Sodi Keshalu, also known by the aliases Sodi Kesha and Malla, was functioning as the deputy commander of the People's Liberation Guerrilla Army (PLGA) battalion operating along the volatile Telangana-Chhattisgarh border. He was considered the second-in-command to PLGA chief Badise Deva, who had surrendered earlier. Keshalu held significant positions within the Maoist hierarchy, including membership in the BNPC battalion party committee and previously serving as commander of a company before assuming the role of deputy battalion commander.
Following Deva's surrender, Keshalu took charge of the battalion and was leading Maoist cadres in the strategically important Karreguttalu hills area. As recently as early 2026, he was reportedly commanding between 20 to 30 remaining cadres in the region, making him one of the few significant Maoist leaders still active along this contested border zone.
Notorious History and Recent Activities
Keshalu came into particular focus for allegedly commanding Maoist forces during the Dharmaram camp attack in January 2024. According to security intelligence, he was armed with an AK-47 rifle and managed to escape an encounter with security forces at Annaram in November 2025. His surrender represents the removal of a key operational leader from the Maoist organizational structure.
Comprehensive List of Surrendered Cadres
The surrendered group includes several other significant Maoist functionaries across various organizational levels:
- Mangthu – identified as a divisional committee member
- Mahendra – an area committee member
- Midiyam Rinku – a platoon party committee member
- Podium Chandri – platoon member (PM)
- Gonse Bhime – platoon member
- Madakam Naresh – platoon member
- Poonem Aithey – platoon member
- Sodi Bhima – platoon member and reported guard of Sodi Kesa
- Modiyam Reena – platoon member
- Sodi Ranjit – platoon member
- Madhu – identified as a platoon commander from Bhadrachalam
Additionally, three other cadres surrendered alongside these named individuals. The surrendered Maoists brought with them regular battalion weapons including AK-47, INSAS, and SLR rifles, significantly reducing the armed capability of the remaining Maoist network.
Organizational Structure and Current Status
Within the PLGA structure, Keshalu was serving as company 2 in-charge and battalion deputy commander. The surrendered group collectively represented committee-level, deputy commander, area committee, and company commander-level functionaries, indicating a comprehensive blow to the Maoist command hierarchy in the region.
Police sources confirm that with this surrender, there are currently no Maoist cadres operating on the ground in Telangana state. The remaining cadres are confined to neighboring Chhattisgarh, where police efforts continue to trace additional weapons, hideouts, and arm dumps.
Weakening Maoist Presence and Remaining Threats
The Maoist battalion operating in this border belt had already been weakening in recent years due to a combination of surrenders and combat deaths, including the killing of commander Hidma. Keshalu had been leading what remained of this depleted formation until his surrender.
Despite this significant development, police sources indicate that two commanders remain at large: Vijjal and Rupi. Vijjal, a native of Chhattisgarh, is identified as a platoon or company-level commander believed to be hiding in the Karreguttalu area. Rupi, from Telangana, is reportedly operating from Maad and is the wife of former Maoist Chinna Reddy. According to intelligence sources, both Vijjal and Rupi are currently refusing to surrender.
Shift in Security Focus
With the surrender of these 40 Maoists, including key leadership figures, the security focus has now shifted decisively toward recovering additional weapons and locating hideouts and arm dumps linked to the remaining network. Telangana police officials are expected to formally present the surrendered Maoists in the coming days as part of ongoing efforts to encourage further surrenders and dismantle the remaining Maoist infrastructure in the region.
This development represents one of the most significant setbacks for left-wing extremism in Telangana in recent years and marks a potential turning point in the long-standing conflict between security forces and Maoist groups in the border regions of central India.
