Top Naxalite Bhupathi carrying bounty of Rs 6 cr surrenders with 60 others

 

 

 

IN A historic and dramatic turn in the Naxalite movement, a senior intellectual face of the insurgency and a second-tier commander Mallojula Venugopal, alias Bhupathi or Sonu, along with 60 Naxals turned themselves in before the police at around 10 pm on Monday. Bhupathi carried a bounty of Rs 6 crore. This incident is being seen as a major blow to Naxal operations and a morale booster for India’s security agencies. With his surrender, experts believe this will have serious consequences for the manpower and tactics of the Naxalite movement. Among those who surrendered were nearly all major Naxal cadres.

 

This is considered the largest surrender in Gadchiroli to date. Bhupathi had joined the Naxalite movement in the 1970s, beginning his activities in the Sironcha taluka of Gadchiroli district. He is the younger brother of Mallojula Koteshwara Rao (alias Kishanji), who was killed in an encounter near Kolkata in 2011. In the years of Naxalite strategy and planning, Bhupathi played a significant role—from local operations to central committee affairs. He was involved in many violent incidents, local-level operations, and the publication of leaflets. Bhupathi is approximately 69 years’ old and holds a B Com degree.

 

He was active in the Madi region in central India, near the Maharashtra–Chhattisgarh border. His wife, Tarakka, had earlier surrendered to Gadchiroli police, and is presently at a police rehabilitation camp. After the demise of the former General Secretary Vasvaraju, Bhupathi was seen as a likely contender for the highest post in the movement. This massive surrender is expected to strike a strong blow at Maoist insurgency in terms of both strategy and manpower. For security agencies, this incident is a major success and could open new directions for future operations against Naxalite groups.

 

Senior Naxalite leader Mallojula Venugopal alias Bhupathi, one of the most wanted Maoist commanders in India, is set to surrender before Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis in Gadchiroli on Wednesday morning, officials confirmed. Fadnavis is scheduled to visit Gadchiroli early in the day to attend official programmes, and Bhupathi’s surrender is expected to take place in his presence under tight security arrangements. The surrender comes after months of internal rift within the Maoist organisation and growing frustration among cadres due to continuous police operations and reduced public support. Police have confirmed that all necessary arrangements have been made for the formal surrender ceremony on Wednesday, which will take place in the presence of CM Devendra Fadnavis and senior police officials at Gadchiroli.

 

 

SIX members of the banned CPI (Maoist) party from Chhattisgarh surrendered before the police in Bhadradri Kothagudem district of Telangana on Tuesday, police said. This comes hours after senior Naxalite Mallojula Venugopal alias Bhupathi and 60 other cadres surrendered before police in Maharashtra’s Gadchiroli district. Attracted by the Telangana Government’s surrender and rehabilitation policy, along with the developmental and welfare activities under “Operation Cheyutha”, a community outreach initiative conducted by the police in collaboration with the CRPF, the Maoists cadre chose to renounce the path of Naxalism and embrace a peaceful life with their families, Bhadradri Kothagudem Superintendent of Police B Rohit Raju said in a release. A total of 326 Maoists of various cadres have surrendered before the Bhadradri Kothagudem District Police so far this year, the SP said. All of them are now living peacefully, benefiting from the comprehensive rehabilitation support extended by the Telangana government, he said. Under Operation Cheyutha, extensive developmental activities are being carried out, including improvements in road connectivity, schools, hospitals, drinking water, electricity etc, he said. “Our goal is to deliver quality education and medical services to the remotest tribal regions. We urge tribal communities to understand that cooperation with Maoist groups, whether due to belief or fear, will not bring progress. Only through democratically elected governments can real development be achieved,” the senior official said.