Arrested in March 2026; he denies surrender: Update
After 44 years underground, Thippiri Tirupati, better known as Devuji and a top leader of the banned CPI (Maoist), was arrested by Telangana police in Mulugu, along with three close associates.
He denies having surrendered, saying "I did not surrender. I was arrested."
The move was confirmed by the state's police chief.
Maoist's surrender leaves only 1 top leader active
Devuji's surrender is a big deal because he was one of the last remaining senior leaders, with a ₹1.5 crore bounty on his head.
His exit leaves only one top Maoist leader still active, seriously weakening the group just as India pushes to end Naxalism by March 2026.
This surrender followed behind-the-scenes talks and follows hundreds of other Maoists giving up arms recently, a sign that security efforts are making an impact.
Police described it as a major milestone, hinting at real change ahead for affected regions.