Rama Krishna Sangem
Top Maoist leader Malloujula Venugopal Rao,62, also known as Sonu, a politburo member of the CPI/Maoist, along with 60 Naxal cadres, surrendered to authorities on October 14, Tuesday in the hotbed of extremism, Gadhchiroli, Maharashtra. Venu is one of the top leaders of the CPI-ML (Maoists) for the last 38 years. He is the younger brother of Mallojula Koteswar Rao, another top Maoist leader killed by the cops recently.
This development marks a significant setback for the CPI/Maoist and comes after sustained counter-insurgency operations led by the police under the guidance of Union Home Minister Amit Shah and coordinated with state governments across the country. In September, Sonu had issued a press release signalling his intention to lay down arms, and he subsequently gained the support of a substantial number of Maoist cadres from Chhattisgarh and other regions, who backed his decision to surrender.
Officials have described this surrender as a major success for law enforcement agencies, highlighting their continued efforts to weaken the Maoist insurgency and reintegrate militants into the mainstream. The surrender is expected to bolster ongoing operations against left-wing extremism and may encourage other cadres to follow suit.
Gadchiroli, a district in Maharashtra, has long been a stronghold of Maoist activity, making today’s surrender a notable milestone in India’s fight against internal extremism.
16 Maoists surrender in Chhattisgarh
Rao’s surrender comes after 16 Naxalites, including nine carrying a combined bounty of Rs 48 lakh, surrendered in Chhattisgarh’s Narayanpur district on October 8. The group, which included seven women, laid down arms before senior police officials, expressing disillusionment with what they called the “hollow” and “inhuman” Maoist ideology. They also condemned the atrocities committed by Maoists against innocent tribals and cited increasing pressure from security forces as a reason for their surrender, Narayanpur Superintendent of Police Robinson Guria had said.
Among those who surrendered were Podiya Markam alias Ratan (34), deputy commander of Military Platoon No. 1; Manoj Dugga (35); Sumitra alias Sunny Kursam (35); Vanila Farsa (35), all members of military companies; and Gawade alias Diwakar (45), a divisional committee member. Each carried a reward of Rs 8 lakh.
Another cadre, Budhu alias Kamlesh Usendi (32), an area committee member, carried a bounty of Rs 5 lakh, while Madda Kunjam (21), Ravi alias Gopal Vadde (23), and Kare Korram (23) each carried a reward of Rs 1 lakh. The remaining six were lower-rung members of the outlawed group.
During questioning, the surrendered Maoists told police that top Maoist leaders were the real enemies of the tribal community, misleading locals with false promises of protecting their land, forests, and rights, while exploiting and enslaving them instead, the SP said.