Telangana police claim Maoist general secretary successor Devji has surrendered
What's the story
Telangana police have reportedly achieved a breakthrough in their anti-Maoist operations with the surrender of Devji, also known as Tippiri Tirupati. According to The Hindu, the surrender took place in the Asifabad district on Sunday. However, the police are yet to officially confirm this development. The surrendered leaders are expected to be presented before the media in a couple of days.
Insurgency deadline
Devji's surrender comes ahead of Operation Kagar deadline
Devji is believed to have succeeded Nambala Keshava Rao as the Maoist general secretary after Rao was killed in a police encounter in May 2025. His surrender comes after the central government set March 31 as a deadline to end the Maoist insurgency with "Operation Kagar." This is seen as a major success for Telangana police, especially since many senior Maoists have surrendered in neighboring states like Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh instead of Telangana recently.
Surrender incentives
DGP announced safety, rewards for surrenders
Telangana Director General of Police (DGP) B Shivdhar Reddy had recently announced safety and rewards for Maoists who surrender before the police. This announcement was made by the government in a bid to encourage more surrenders and weaken the insurgent groups. Devji's reported surrender under these circumstances is a major development in Telangana's fight against Maoist insurgency.