2 top Naxals surrender before Telangana Police

Two topmost Naxal commanders Thippiri Tirupati, alias Devji, and Malla Raji Reddy have surrendered before the Telangana Police.

However, sources aware of developments said their arrest would be announced formally by the Telangana Government in a day or two. Both Naxals, who are members of the Central Committee of the outlawed CPI (Maoist), are said to have surrendered before the Telangana Police on February 22.

Devji carried a bounty of Rs 1 crore on his head and after creating the People's Liberation Guerrilla Army (PLGA), he went on to become a key central committee member.

The surrender of Devji and Raji Reddy comes just weeks before the Centre's March 31, 2026 deadline for ending Naxalism from the country ends. Their surrender is also a blow to the already depleted leadership of CPI (Maoist), whose 10 central committee members had either been killed or had surrendered in 2025.

However, as reported by The Tribune on February 23, around 300 cadres of Maoists are still active in the regions bordering Chhattisgarh and Telangana, mainly in the Abujhmad region of Bastar. Sources have said penetrating South Bastar still remains a challenge for security forces. Also, two more central committee members Misir Besra and Mupalla Lakshmana Rao are absconding.