Daijiworld Media Network - Telangana
Telangana, Mar 15: In a significant development, at least 60 Maoists, including 16 women, surrendered before the police in Telangana’s Bhadradri Kothagudem district on Saturday. The district, which shares a border with Chhattisgarh’s insurgency-affected Sukma region, has been a hotspot for Maoist activity.
The mass surrender took place at the office of the Superintendent of Police (SP) in Kothagudem, in the presence of Inspector General (IG) of Police, Multi-Zone 1. Senior officials, including SP Rohit Raju and Bhadrachalam Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), attended a press conference where the surrender was formally announced.
According to the police, the surrendered Maoists belonged to various cadres, with some holding key positions within the banned Communist Party of India (Maoist). Many of them hailed from Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur and Sukma districts, areas notorious for Maoist insurgency.
Officials credited the mass surrender to the government’s continuous efforts to encourage militants to renounce violence and reintegrate into mainstream society. The Telangana government has implemented rehabilitation programs, offering financial aid and livelihood opportunities for those willing to abandon insurgency.
"It is heartening to see these individuals choosing peace over violence," SP Rohit Raju stated while addressing the media. "One of the surrendered Maoists held a senior leadership position, making this surrender even more significant in weakening the insurgency."
This latest development follows a similar event on March 4, when 14 Maoists surrendered in the same district. Prior to that, on February 13, 19 Maoists from Chhattisgarh had laid down their arms before the Bhadradri Kothagudem police.
The Union government has reiterated its firm stance against Maoist insurgency. Union Home Minister Amit Shah has previously declared that Maoist activity will be completely eradicated by March 2026, ensuring that no innocent lives are lost to extremism.
With the latest surrender, security forces view this as a major breakthrough in their efforts to curb Maoist influence in Telangana and neighboring Chhattisgarh.