130 Maoists Lay Down Arms with AK-47s and Ammunition at Hyderabad Command Centre

In a major breakthrough against Left-wing extremism, 130 Maoist cadres surrendered before Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy at the Integrated Command and Control Centre in Banjara Hills on Saturday, handing over a large cache of sophisticated weapons and ammunition.

The surrender, considered one of the largest in recent years, drew attention as it is the first time such a large number of Maoists have laid down arms directly before a sitting Chief Minister.

According to Telangana Director General of Police B. Shivdhar Reddy , most of those who surrendered were active in neighbouring states. Of the 130 cadres, 125 belong to Chhattisgarh , four to Telangana and one to Andhra Pradesh. The group included several leaders within the Maoist organisational structure, such as three State Committee members , one Regional Committee member , ten Divisional Committee members , 46 Area Committee members and 70 party cadres .

During the ceremony, the surrendered Maoists handed over 124 modern weapons , including AK-47 rifles , along with over 5,200 rounds of live ammunition . Police officials said the arms belonged to the People’s Liberation Guerrilla Army (PLGA) , the armed wing of the banned Communist Party of India (Maoist) .

Authorities described the surrender as a major blow to Maoist activities in Telangana, noting that the organisation’s State Committee structure in the region has virtually disappeared. Officials believe the development will significantly weaken insurgent operations that have persisted for decades across parts of central India.

Addressing the surrendered cadres, the Chief Minister said violence and armed struggle cannot resolve people’s issues, stressing that democratic institutions provide the only meaningful path to social change. He appealed to Maoists still operating underground to abandon violence and join the mainstream.

The Chief Minister assured that the state government would provide rehabilitation support , including financial assistance , healthcare and housing benefits. He also said surrendered cadres could receive support under the Indiramma housing scheme .

Revanth Reddy revealed that 721 Maoists have surrendered in Telangana since January 2024 , highlighting growing confidence in the state’s rehabilitation policy.

He also appealed to senior Maoist leader Muppala Lakshmana Rao alias Ganapathi to give up armed struggle and participate in democratic society. The government, he said, is willing to review pending legal cases against surrendered Maoists within legal limits.

Meanwhile, Telangana Police announced that the 130 surrendered Maoists will receive cash rewards totaling over ₹4.18 crore under the state’s surrender policy.

Senior officials including Additional DGP (Intelligence) Vijay Kumar and SIB IG Sumathi were present during the surrender ceremony.