Top Maoist commander and the organisation's key "strategist" Thippiri Tirupati alias Devji has surrendered, a top police official said on Sunday.
Devji hails from Telangana's Jagtial district and his surrender can be seen as a deadly blow to the outlawed organisation, which now lacks leadership.
Devji (62) is believed to have succeeded the late CPI (Maoist) general secretary Nambala Keshav Rao alias Basavaraju, who died in May 2025.
Another senior Maoist leader, Malla Raji Reddy, along with several cadres of the CPI (Maoist) have also surrendered.
Their surrender comes days before the Union government's March 2026 deadline to eliminate Naxalism in the country.
"The surrender will be officially shown in a couple of days...they are with Telangana Police," the official told PTI.
According to reports, Devji, carrying a bounty of Rs 1 crore on his head, created the People's Liberation Guerrilla Army (PLGA) and went on to become a key Central Committee member of the CPI (Maoist) and the politburo member of the Maoist party.
Devji, presently working as the in charge of Central Military Commission (CMC), operated from Maad in Chhattisgarh.
In 1982, while studying Intermediate in Korutla in Jagtial District, he was attracted towards the Radical Student Union (RSU), sources said.
During the same period, clashes occurred between RSU and Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) members in Karimnagar district and Devji was named as an accused in the case, they said.
In 1983, Devji joined CPI ML (PWG) and went underground.
During 1983-1984, he worked as a Dalam member in Gadchiroli Dalam and in 1985 he was elevated to area committee member. He was then elevated as central committee member in 2001 and was in charge of CMC in 2016, the sources added.
One of the influential strategists in the proscribed organisation--Mallojula Venugopal Rao, alias Sonu, a native of Telangana, who surrendered before police along with 60 other cadres in Maharashtra's Gadchiroli district in October 2025, had called for "temporarily renouncing armed struggle" and said they were ready for a ceasefire.
His stand was met with resistance from other senior cadres, with Devji and other leaders "appearing to favour continuing the armed struggle".
The "division" in outlook between the two sections within the Maoists is "very clear" in view of the statements coming out, the sources had then said.
Security forces led by the CRPF had launched an extensive operation named 'KGH 2' spread across areas like Nambi and Korgotalu Hills (KGH), also known as Karregutta Hills, along the Chhattisgarh-Telangana border on February 17.
About 300 Naxals, including top four central committee (CC) members of the outlawed CPI (Maoist), including Misir Besra alias Bhaskar, Devji, Rammanna alias Ganpathi alias Laxman Rao and Raji Reddy are the last among those whom the security forces were looking for, officials earlier said.
Officials said they should either surrender or the forces will eliminate them during intensified operations to meet the March 2026 deadline.
Telangana Director General of Police (DGP) B Shivadhar Reddy on February 15 called upon all underground CPI (Maoist) leaders and cadre, including some 15 remaining ultras from Telangana to give up arms.
He had stated that those who choose to join the mainstream will be extended immediate assistance and benefits under the state government's "Surrender and Rehabilitation Scheme".
Over the past two years, 588 Maoist leaders and cadres at various levels have rejoined normal life through the sustained efforts of Telangana Police, Reddy earlier said.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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