Hyderabad: Top Maoist leader Barse Deva is currently in the custody of Telangana police along with 15 other Maoist cadres. Sources confirmed this on Friday. While no official statement has been issued yet, authorities are expected to announce details of the high-profile surrender in the coming days.
According to reliable sources, Deva surrendered to the Director General of Police in Telangana. This followed prolonged deliberations on which state to approach. He was escorted by Kothagudem district police and taken into custody after his decision to surrender.
Deva served as commander of the Maoist party’s Guerrilla Liberation Army. He was a key figure in its military operations, particularly after the death of fellow top leader Hidma. Both hailed from Puvarthi village in Chhattisgarh’s Sukma district and had worked closely for over 15 years.
Barse Deva Telangana police custody follows strategic surrender
Sources within Chhattisgarh police said Deva had made up his mind to surrender even before Hidma was killed in a recent encounter. That incident reportedly accelerated the process. A reward of ₹50 lakh had been declared on Deva.
He rose through Maoist ranks from Darbha Divisional Committee Secretary to 1st Battalion Commander. Later, he took charge of the State Military Commission. Security forces believe he was involved in multiple deadly ambushes targeting CRPF personnel in Chhattisgarh.
After Hidma was promoted to the Central Committee, the party handed over command of the PLGA’s 1st Number Battalion to Deva. Following this, he assumed wider military responsibilities.
Deva reportedly contacted police from Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana through mediators before choosing to surrender in Telangana.
His surrender comes in the backdrop of Operation Kagar, a counterinsurgency campaign launched by the central government. It has led to a series of Maoist losses, leadership voids, and defections. Chhattisgarh police sources said Hidma’s death left local Maoist structures demoralised and disoriented. This has prompted more cadres to consider surrender.
Meanwhile, the Telangana Civil Liberties Committee demanded that police immediately produce Barse Deva and the 15 others before a court. In a press release, the group reminded that the arrests took place near the Telangana–Chhattisgarh border just two days ago.