Gadchiroli: In a major blow to the outlawed CPI [Maoist], senior Maoist leader and politburo member Malloujula Venugopal Rao alias Sonu laid down weapons along with 60 Maoist cadres in Maharashtra’s Gadchiroli on October 13.
The surrender comes almost a month after Bhupati in a letter had intended about laying down arms by abandoning the armed-insurgency.
Malloujula Venugopal Rao @ Sonu, Polit Bureau member of CPI/Maoist, laid down weapons along with 60 Maoist cadres today in Gadhchiroli, Maharashtra. This is a major blow to CPI/Maoist and is a result of sustained operations by police under the leadership of Union HM Amit Shah and… pic.twitter.com/rUXabMQMiJ
— ANI (@ANI) October 14, 2025
Rao surrender marks a major blow to the banned group many of whose top leaders have already been eliminated in persistent operation by security forces.
The surrender comes almost a week after Union Home Minister Amit Shah at a public rally in Jagdalpur reiterated the Union Government commitment towards eliminating the red terror menace by March next year .
“We have formulated a very lucrative surrender policy. Come lay down your arms. If you take up arms and try to disrupt the peace of Bastar, our armed forces the CRPF, and the Chhattisgarh police will respond. March 31, 2026 has been fixed to bid farewell to Naxalism from the soil of the country,” said Union Home Minister Shah.
Reacting to the surrender Chhattisgarh Deputy CM Vijay Sharma said “The people of Bastar have made up their minds to end Naxalism. A year ago, a woman politburo member surrendered, and today her husband, also a politburo member, has joined the mainstream. Bastar is witnessing a lot of activity. We will welcome all those who join the mainstream, but those who do not will be dealt with by our armed forces in the right manner.”
VIDEO | Malloujula Venugopal Rao alias Sonu, Polit Bureau member of CPI(Maoist), laid down weapons along with 60 Maoist cadres today in Gadhchiroli.
Chhattisgarh Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma says, “The people of Bastar have made up their minds to end Naxalism. A year ago,… pic.twitter.com/K4LDZlUUWY
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) October 14, 2025
It is to be noted that security forces in recent months have conducted a series of successful strikes against Maoists in Chhattisgarh’s Bastar and other Maoist-hit pockets across other states, neutralising hundreds of armed Naxal cadres including top commanders.
In Chhattisgarh alone, the forces have neutralised 4 Central Committee [CC] members and the former general secretary of CPI [Maoist] Nambala Keshav Rao alias Basavraju in separate operations. The encounter leading to neutralisation of Basavraju was consider a decisive blow to the Maoist’s group.
