Senior Maoist leader surrenders, urges others to lay down arms
Mallojula Venugopal Rao, better known as Bhupathi and a top Maoist leader, has surrendered to authorities in Maharashtra and is now urging his former comrades to do the same.
He turned himself in on October 15, 2025, with 60 others, handing over dozens of weapons—including AK-47s.
Why does this matter?
Bhupathi isn't just any member—he helped found the People's War Group and was a key strategist for decades, with a ₹6 crore bounty on his head.
His surrender has already led hundreds more to give up arms since his surrender in October.
In a video message, he encouraged others to leave violence behind and work within India's Constitution.
The CPI (Maoist) leadership called him a "revolutionary traitor," showing there's real tension inside the group.
For anyone following social change or conflict in India, this could be a turning point—especially as more surrenders happen across Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh.