Telangana Police Foil Maoist Strategy to Relocate to Adilabad Forests
In a significant development as Operation Kagar neared its conclusion, Maoist insurgents made a final push to establish a fresh operational base in Telangana, specifically targeting the dense forests of the Mangi area in Adilabad, beyond the Kawal Tiger Reserve. According to police sources, this move was aimed at reviving their movement and operations, including in the Mulugu region, after being forced to vacate the Maad and Bastar areas in Chhattisgarh.
Arrests and Interceptions Disrupt Relocation Plans
The Telangana police systematically disrupted this relocation attempt through a series of strategic operations. The first major setback for the Maoists occurred with the arrest of Yerragandla Ravi, also known as Prashant, and other cadres while they were en route to Adilabad through Asifabad. This was followed by the interception of Badise Deva, a PLGA battalion commander and close associate of slain Maoist leader Madvi Hidma, who was captured while moving with a battalion and carrying eight AK-47 rifles in a Bolero vehicle.
Subsequently, Deva surrendered to Telangana police in Sukma district in early January 2026. Another key figure, Korsa Lakku, a company commander, was traced in the Mulugu forest region, where police employed counselling tactics to secure his surrender without opening fire.
Use of Advanced Tactics and Community Involvement
In one notable operation, around 500 Greyhounds personnel surrounded a house in Asifabad where Maoist cadres, including Ravi and another commander also named Prashant, were holed up. The cadres, who had used transport outside the forest zone but moved in guerrilla patterns inside, were forced to surrender after being encircled.
Further efforts involved tracking Uike Kallu, a company platoon commander, near Karreguttalu in the Mangi area. Drones equipped with microphones were deployed to address Maoist cadres and urge them to surrender, with Badise Deva also appealing for them to lay down arms. Local tribal leaders were engaged in counselling sessions, persuading Kallu's group to leave the hillock area and surrender.
Shift in Maoist Leadership and Broader Implications
Top Maoist leader Thippiri Tirupati, alias Devji, who was emerging as a senior figure after the killing of Basavaraju in 2025, initially planned to move into the Adilabad zone. However, following the arrests of Deva and others, he changed direction and attempted to flee through thick forest areas towards southern states, where he was eventually intercepted and made to surrender.
This disruption is part of a broader shift in Maoist movement due to increased pressure in Chhattisgarh. Other senior Telangana-linked Maoist leaders who surrendered include Malla Raji Reddy (Sangram), Bade Chokka Rao (Damodar), the Telangana state committee secretary, and Nune Narasimha Reddy (Jampanna or Ganganna). On March 7, a batch of 130 Maoists surrendered before Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, handing over 124 firearms.
Conclusion: A Setback for Maoist Resurgence
Telangana police sources confirmed that the series of arrests, interceptions, and surrender operations effectively thwarted the Maoist leadership's attempt to carve out a new operational base in the Adilabad forest belt. These actions highlight the intensified security measures and community-based strategies employed to counter left-wing extremism in the region, marking a significant blow to Maoist plans for revival in Telangana.
