Hyderabad: Telangana DGP Shivdhar Reddy on Saturday said 47 underground Maoist cadres surrendered before police and returned to the mainstream under the State government’s rehabilitation policy.
Addressing the media in Hyderabad, the DGP said the Maoist surrender Telangana involved cadres from key formations, including the Dandakaranya Special Zonal Committee and the South Bastar Divisional Committee. He said Hemla Ithu, alias Vijja, and Podiyam Lachhu, alias Manoj, were among the prominent leaders who surrendered.
The surrendered cadres also handed over 32 weapons and 515 rounds of ammunition to police. The cache included LMGs, AK-47 rifles, INSAS rifles, SLR rifles, pistols, revolvers and muskets.
Maoist surrender Telangana weakens South Bastar division
Shivdhar Reddy said the South Bastar Division had reached a stage of complete debilitation after the latest surrender. He said four members belonged to the PLGA Battalion, 28 to the DKSZC, and 15 to the 9th and 30th platoons.
He said the Maoist surrender Telangana reflected the impact of police awareness programmes and improved rehabilitation packages. According to him, many people who had entered forests were now returning home because of those measures.
The DGP said several key Maoist leaders from Telangana still remained underground. He named Laxman Rao, alias Ganapathi, Pasunuri Narahari, alias Santhosham, Jadi Rathnabhai, alias Sujatha, and Vartha Shekhar, alias Mangu.
He appealed to them to surrender before police immediately. He also said security operations in Telangana had created a growing impact on the Maoist movement.
Maoist surrender Telangana follows two-year police push
Shivdhar Reddy said Telangana Police had secured the surrender of 818 Maoists over the past two years. He said police also seized 334 weapons from surrendered cadres during that period.
The DGP said the latest large-scale surrender would further reduce Maoist influence in the State. He added that the Telangana government’s rehabilitation policy had encouraged cadres to leave underground activity and rejoin society.