Top Maoist leader Narayana Rao with Rs 25 lakh bounty surrenders in Andhra with 8 cadres

Amaravati: In a major setback to Left-Wing Extremism in Andhra Pradesh, senior CPI-Maoist leader Chelluri Narayana Rao alias Suresh, a Central Committee Member and Secretary of the Andhra-Odisha Border Special Zonal Committee (AOBSZC), surrendered before the state police on Monday along with eight other cadres.

Director General of Police Harish Kumar Gupta presented the surrendered Maoists before the media, describing the development as a significant milestone in the state’s sustained anti-Maoist operations.

Senior leader with 36 years of Maoist background

A native of Srikakulam district, Narayana Rao had been associated with the Maoist movement for over three decades, having joined in 1990. Over the years, he rose through the ranks to become a key strategist within the CPI-Maoist structure.

He carried a bounty of Rs 25 lakh and was allegedly involved in several major offences, including the 2018 killing of MLA Kidari Sarveswara Rao and former MLA Siveri Someswara Rao in Visakhapatnam district, as well as the murder of three policemen.

Eight other cadres also surrendered

Along with Narayana Rao, eight Maoist cadres from different ranks surrendered before the police. They include:

- Kartam Lachhu (Company Platoon Commander, PLGA Battalion)

- Podium Raje alias Rame (Area Committee Member)

- Kartam Adame alias Nangi (PPCM, PLGA Battalion)

- Muchaki Masa alias Ajith (ACM, KKBN Division, Odisha)

- Madvi Jogi alias Rukuni (PPCM)

- Muchaki Laxman alias Lakma

- Madivi Adama

- Kadithi Hurre alias Urra

Reasons behind the surrender

Police attributed the surrender to multiple factors, including:

Declining strength of the Maoist leadership due to deaths and arrests

Growing disillusionment with Maoist ideology

Lack of support and recruitment from local tribal communities

Effective surrender and rehabilitation policies of the Andhra Pradesh government

Increased developmental activities and welfare initiatives in tribal regions

Sustained outreach by police forces

Rehabilitation package and rewards

Under the state’s surrender and rehabilitation policy:

Narayana Rao will receive Rs 25 lakh (the reward on his head)

Other cadres will receive financial assistance ranging from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 5 lakh

Officials reiterated that the policy aims to encourage more underground cadres to return to mainstream society.

Arms recovery

Police also displayed 19 weapons recovered during recent operations, including:

1 INSAS rifle

2 Barrel Grenade Launchers (BGLs)

5.303 rifles

5 SBBL guns

6 other weapons

Major gains against Maoists in one year

Highlighting achievements over the past year, the DGP said:

7 encounters took place, resulting in 18 Maoists neutralised

Those killed included 3 Central Committee Members (CCMs) and 3 State/Zonal Committee Members (SZCMs)

50 cadres arrested across multiple districts, including Krishna, Eluru, NTR, Kakinada, and Konaseema

31 additional cadres arrested in separate operations

106 Maoists surrendered, including senior leaders

120 weapons recovered

The Andhra Pradesh Police also supported operations in neighbouring Chhattisgarh and Odisha, leading to the elimination of key Maoist figures.

‘Zero Maoist Movement’ claim in Andhra Pradesh

DGP Gupta stated that sustained counter-insurgency efforts have led to a significant decline in Maoist presence in the state. He claimed that the movement of underground Maoist cadres into Andhra Pradesh has been reduced to zero.

Greyhounds and SIB praised

The DGP commended the efforts of the Special Intelligence Branch (SIB), Greyhounds, and district police units, noting that their strategies have evolved into highly specialised intelligence-based and guerrilla-style operations.

He said Andhra Pradesh’s counter-insurgency model is now being regarded as a benchmark for other states in tackling Left-Wing Extremism.