In a landmark development in Maharashtra’s fight against Maoist insurgency, 61 Maoists laid down their arms before the Gadchiroli Police, marking one of the largest surrenders in the region’s history. The surrender, carried out peacefully, was led by Mallojula Venugopal Rao, also known as Bhupati and Sonu, a senior leader of the banned CPI (Maoist) and a key strategist in the movement.
Bhupati Surrenders In Presence of CM
The mass surrender took place in the dense forests of South Gadchiroli, near the Chhattisgarh border, on the night of October 14. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis attended the official ceremony, honouring Bhupati’s condition to surrender in the presence of the state’s top leadership.
Bhupati had recently called for peace talks with the government and urged fellow Maoists to abandon armed struggle. Over 60 associates heeded his call, laying down arms and agreeing to reintegrate into mainstream society.
Who Is Bhupati: From Radical Ideologue To Spokesperson
Born in Peddapalli to a family of freedom fighters and temple priests, Bhupati was the youngest of three sons. Drawn to left-wing extremism in his youth, he rose to become a member of the CPI (Maoist) Polit Bureau and Central Military Commission, serving as a crucial link between Maoist leadership and the outside world, reported Hindustan Times.
After the death of spokesperson Cherukuri Rajkumar (Azad) in 2010, Bhupati took charge of the party’s publications and communications. He was widely regarded as the ideological head of the movement and is believed to have been involved in several high-profile operations, making him one of India’s most wanted Maoist leaders.
Turning Point In Gadchiroli Conflict
Officials hailed the surrender as a major milestone in Gadchiroli, a region that has witnessed violent clashes since 1980, when Maoists first confronted CRPF forces. Bhupati’s decision to surrender in Maharashtra—rather than neighboring Telangana or Chhattisgarh—followed days of negotiation with mediators, highlighting successful efforts by the Maharashtra Police to encourage militants to rejoin civil society.
