As many as 130 Maoists surrendered before Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy in Hyderabad on Saturday, marking one of the largest mass surrenders by Left-wing extremists in the state in recent months.
The surrendered cadres also handed over 124 weapons, including AK-47 rifles, during the event. The Maoists symbolically submitted their arms to the chief minister in the presence of senior police officials.
According to Telangana Director General of Police B. Shivadhar Reddy, 125 of the surrendered Maoists are from Chhattisgarh, four from Telangana and one from Andhra Pradesh.
“Now there is no Telangana state committee of Maoists. It has completely vanished,” the DGP told reporters, indicating a significant decline in the organisational presence of the banned insurgent outfit in the state.
Officials said the surrender was facilitated under Telangana’s surrender and rehabilitation policy, which encourages Maoist cadres to give up violence and rejoin the mainstream by offering financial assistance, housing support and livelihood opportunities.
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The development comes amid a steady rise in the number of Maoists abandoning the armed movement in Telangana. Police data shows that more than 500 Maoists surrendered in the state in 2025 alone, including several senior leaders and committee members, reflecting increasing pressure on the organisation from security operations and declining morale within its ranks.
Several recent surrenders involved cadres from neighbouring Chhattisgarh, long considered a stronghold of the banned Communist Party of India (Maoist).
The state government has repeatedly appealed to Maoists to shun violence and participate in democratic processes. Chief Minister Revanth Reddy has earlier urged cadres to return to the mainstream and contribute to development in the state.
At the national level, Union Home Minister Amit Shah has also reiterated the Centre’s firm stance on eliminating Left-Wing Extremism, stating that the government aims to end Naxalism in the country by March 31, 2026 through coordinated security operations and development initiatives.
Officials say the growing number of surrenders indicates that the Maoist movement is weakening due to sustained security pressure, internal divisions and hardships faced by cadres living in forest areas.
Authorities added that the surrendered Maoists would be rehabilitated under government schemes and supported in rebuilding their lives outside the insurgent movement.
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