Two senior underground CPM leaders surrender to Rachakonda police

Hyderabad: Two senior underground leaders of the banned CPI (Maoist) party, who have been revolutionary movement for 40 years together, joined the mainstream in the presence of the Commissioner of Police, Rachakonda, on Thursday.

They are senior underground State Committee member of the CPI Maoist and DK SZC Maoist leader Kakarala Sunitha (62), alias Badri, alias Lakshmi, alias Gurusmriti, alias Saroja; and Chennuri Harish, alias Ramanna, ACM of the Telangana State Committee.

The surrender of senior Maoist leaders to join the social mainstream can be considered a success of the strategies adopted by the Telangana Police, the police said in a public note.

“Motivated by the various welfare measures extended by the Telangana Government and Police Department, and the support shown towards those who have returned to the mainstream, they decided to lead a peaceful life with their families and surrendered before the Commissioner of Police, Rachakonda,” the police stated.

Kakarala Sunitha’s journey

Kakarala Sunitha, in 1985, while studying Intermediate in Rajahmundry, joined the Radical Students Union (RSU) on her college campus. Her father, Kakarala Satyanarayana, was an important leader in the Revolutionary Writers’ Association (RWA/VIRASAM). Revolutionaries like Varavara Rao and Gaddar used to frequently visit her home.

In January 1986, she became fully drawn to the CPI (ML) People’s War and went underground. From 1986 to 1990, she worked in Vijayawada town as a Central Organiser (CO) of CPI (ML) PW.

During her work as CO in Vijayawada, she came into contact with TLN Chalam alias Goutham alias Sudhakar. They married in August 1986.

From 1990 to 1992, she worked as a Central Organiser (CO) in Guntur town.

In 1992, she moved into the Nallamala forest, where she worked in the Forest Divisional Committee. During her time in Nallamala, she took part in the Veligonda and Bhairavakona encounters. She continued to work in Nallamala until 2001.

In 2001, she was promoted to DVCM (Divisional Committee Member).

In 2001, along with her husband, TLN Chalam, she was transferred to the AOB (Andhra–Odisha Border) region, where she worked until 2006. During her tenure in AOB, she participated in the Pujariguda encounter.

In 2006, along with her husband, TLN Chalam, she was transferred to Dandakaranya (DK). Due to the lack of ideological and political awareness in DK cadres, the Central Committee specifically deputed Sunitha and Chalam to DK to strengthen ideological and political understanding among the cadres.

In 2014, she participated in the Kutul encounter.

On June 5, she, along with her husband, was involved in the Annapuram National Park encounter; in this EoF, her husband, TLN Chalam, was killed.

Member of Regional Political School

From 2006 until the present, she has worked alongside her husband as a member of the Regional Political School (RePoS) and the Education Departmental Committee (EDC).

In this role, she played a key part in imparting Maoist ideology and political awareness to many mid-level and junior-level cadres.

As an ideologue and intellectual of the Maoist party, she contributed significantly to formulating various strategies and played an important role in preparing several documents and in publishing party magazines such as Kranthi.

Chennuri Harish’s journey

Chennuri Harish (35), in 2006, while studying 10th class in the BC Welfare Hostel at Eturunagaram, was attracted towards the Maoist Party ideology after attending its cultural programmes.

In May 2015, he married Ashwini. From 2010 to 2017, due to financial problems, he worked in different places. In 2017, he joined CP Bata and worked for about one month, after which he left the party.

In November 2018, after divorcing his wife, he attempted to join the CPI (Maoist) on the call of Vijendar, who died due to ill health in 2020. While on his way, he was arrested in Bhadrachalam and spent one month in Warangal Jail. During that time in jail, he met Manchu Ramesh of TPF.

In 2019, after being released from jail, he worked at the TPF office at the call of Manchu Ramesh. In June 2020, police raided the TPF office and registered cases against Manchu Ramesh, Krishna and Maddileti and arrested them. Following this, he stopped working there and returned home.

In December 2020, he joined Bade Chokka Rao alias Damodhar’s TSCM team.

After working for a few days in Damodhar’s team, he was transferred to the Charla LOS (Local Organising Squad), where he worked for six months.

In July 2021, he was transferred to the KM DVC and sent to the National Park area, where he joined the Mangi–Indravelli Area Dalam under the team of Mailarapu Adellu alias Bhaskar, SCM. There, he got a party membership as a Party Member.

On the instructions of Bhaskar, in November 2021, he, along with the Mangi–Indravelli Area Dalam, came to Adilabad. In the last week of December 2021, they returned to the National Park area.

Again, on the instructions of Bhaskar, in October 2022, he, along with the Mangi–Indravelli Area Dalam, came to Adilabad. In the last week of October 2022, they returned to the National Park area.

On December 23, 2022, he took part in an encounter at Tekametta in the National Park area. In this incident, he sustained a bullet injury to his right leg.

From May 2023 to November 2024, he worked in the Tailoring Team of the National Park Area Committee.

In May 2024, he was promoted to an Area Committee Member (ACM).

On June 7, he participated in an encounter at Irpagutta in the National Park area. In this incident, Bhaskar, TSCM and three other cadres died.

Police message to underground Maoists

The Telangana police stated that if the underground Maoists return to their villages, the Government of Telangana will extend to them the rehabilitation schemes and other assistance provided for surrendered Maoists. The Government will support them in every possible way to help them lead an independent life.

The Rachakonda Police assured that it will always strive to extend all the benefits due from the Government for the rehabilitation and livelihood of the surrendered members.

Youth staying away from Maoists

In today’s society, the youth are acting with awareness and responsibility. They are staying away from unlawful activities. Recruitment into the Maoist party has almost completely stopped, and no student is joining the Maoist party, the police note said.