From Basavaraju to Hidma, Sonu to Devuji: Who are the top Maoist leaders killed or surrendered since last year?

Two dozen senior Maoist leaders have been gunned down since 2024, but it was the killing of the party chief, Nambala Keshava Rao, alias Basavaraju, in an encounter in Chhattisgarh’s Abujhmad region in May 2025 that decisively turned the tide against the armed rebels in their bastion. Since then, several Maoist leaders have surrendered, including Politburo member Mallojula Venugopal Rao, alias Sonu, who was considered the ideological head of the banned CPI (Maoist), and most recently, the highest-ranking active member remaining in the party, Thippiri Tirupathi, alias Devuji. In 2024, security forces gunned down 219 Maoists in Chhattisgarh, mostly foot soldiers, but also six members of the Dandakaranya Special Zonal Committee (DKSZC) — the top state-level body of the Maoists. In 2025, security forces started getting to the central-level leadership, breaking through the first and second cordon of security provided to members of the Central Committee and Politburo — the top two decision-making bodies of the party. That year, 285 more Maoists were killed. These are some of the Maoist leaders killed since then: Nambala Keshava Rao, alias Basavaraju: The first and only Politburo member to have been killed in an encounter since anti-Maoist operations were stepped up in 2024 was Basavaraju, who was then the general secretary, or party chief, of the CPI (Maoist). On May 21, 2025, Basavaraju was gunned down along with 26 others in the jungles of Chhattisgarh’s Abujhmad region. Basavaraju, who had a B.Tech degree from the National Institute of Technology in Warangal, had orchestrated attacks in which 76 CRPF personnel were killed. He is also believed to have been behind ambushing a Congress convoy at Chhattisgarh’s Jhiram Ghati in 2013, leading to the killing of 32 people, including state party leaders Mahendra Karma and Nand Kumar Patel. Basavaraju had succeeded Muppala Lakshman Rao, alias Ganapathi, as general secretary of the party in 2018. Ganapathi remains untraceable, and it is unclear whether he is alive. Madvi Hidma: The infamous Maoist commander was allegedly involved in the killings of 260 security personnel and 81 civilians. Before moving up to the Central Committee, he was in charge of the People’s Liberation Guerrilla Army’s Battalion 1 — the most formidable armed unit of the Maoists. He was gunned down on November 18, last year, in Andhra Pradesh. Hidma had gained prominence also because of his regional tribal identity, being from Chhattisgarh’s Sukma district. The top leadership of the CPI (Maoist) had been mostly made up of Telugu leaders. Pratap Reddy Ramachandra Reddy, alias Chalapati: In January 2025, the 62-year-old Central Committee member was killed in an encounter along with 13 other Maoists in Chhattisgarh’s Gariaband. Chalapti had allegedly masterminded an attack on September 23, 2018, in Andhra Pradesh, in which Kidari Sarveswara Rao, the TDP MLA from Araku Valley, and former TDP MLA Siveri Soma, were shot dead. A large number of Maoist leaders, including members of the Politburo and Central Committee, have surrendered in this period. Here are some of them: Mallojula Venugopal Rao, alias Sonu: One of the biggest blows to the Maoist movement following Basavaraju’s killing was the surrender of 70-year-old Sonu, a Politburo member who was known as the ideological head of the Maoist party. He surrendered in Maharashtra’s Gadchiroli alongside 60 others in October last year. A communication specialist, Sonu was the thread that connected the party to the outside world. He is the brother of Mallojula Koteshwar Rao, alias Kishenji, a top Maoist leader who was killed in 2011 in West Bengal. Sonu is a B.Com graduate from Peddapalli in Telangana. Like many other top Maoist leaders, he started out in the Radical Students Union and the People’s War Group. Thippiri Tirupathi, alias Devuji: According to senior officials, Devuji, the highest-ranking active Maoist remaining, has surrendered in Telangana. They said police would officially update on his surrender on February 23 or 24. Some intelligence sources believe that Devuji may have been elevated to the top-most post of general secretary of the Maoist party after Basavaraju’s killing. The Maoist party has, however, denied this. The 62-year-old headed the Central Military Commission of the CPI (Maoist), and in 2000, he created the People’s Liberation Guerrilla Army. He surrendered alongside Malla Raji Reddy, alias Sangram (76), a Central Committee member who has been active in Chhattisgarh for over three decades. Takkalappalli Vasudeva Rao alias Rupesh: Sonu’s surrender was soon followed by a mass surrender of 210 Maoists, led by Rupesh (59). They surrendered with 153 weapons. Rupesh was known as the Maoists’ bombmaker and is believed to have orchestrated the attack on Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on December 2, 2000. Barsa Deva: 2026 began with another significant surrender, that of Hidma’s successor Barsa Deva, who laid down arms with around 40 other cadres in January. Deva had succeeded Hidma as the head of Battalion 1, and was involved in scores of attacks on security forces. Pulluri Prasad Rao, alias Chandranna: Soon after Sonu’s surrender, Chandranna (64) did the same in Telangana. Underground for 40 years, Chandranna was among the most senior Central Committee members. Pothula Padmavathi, alias Sujatha: A month before Sonu’s surrender, his sister-in-law and Kishenji’s wife, Sujatha (62) surrendered in Telangana. She was a Central Committee member who was wanted in over 72 cases. Jayprakash S Naidu is a Principal Correspondent for The Indian Express, currently serving as the state correspondent for Chhattisgarh. With an extensive career in frontline journalism, he reports on the political, security, and humanitarian landscape of Central India. Expertise and Experience Specialized Conflict Reporting: Jayprakash is a leading voice on the Maoist/Naxalite conflict in the Bastar region. His reporting provides a critical, ground-level view of: Internal Security: Tracking high-stakes encounters, surrender programs for senior Maoist leaders, and the establishment of security camps in formerly inaccessible "heartland" villages. Tribal Rights & Displacement: Investigative reporting on the identity and land struggles of thousands of displaced tribals fleeing conflict zones for neighboring states. Governance & Bureaucratic Analysis: He consistently monitors the evolution of Chhattisgarh as it marks 25 years of statehood, covering: Electoral Politics: Analyzing the shift in power between the BJP and Congress and the impact of regional tribal movements. Public Policy: Reporting on landmark infrastructure projects (e.g., mobile connectivity in remote zones) and judicial interventions, such as High Court rulings on civil and family law. Diverse Investigative Background: Prior to his current focus on Chhattisgarh, Jayprakash held reported from Maharashtra, where he specialized in: Crisis & Disaster Management: Notable for his extensive coverage of the Cyclone Tauktae barge tragedy (P-305) and the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on frontline personnel. Legal & Human Rights: Investigative pieces for platforms like Article-14, focusing on police accountability and custodial deaths across India. Environmental & Social Justice: Authoritative reporting on the Hasdeo Aranya forest protests and the approval of major tiger reserves, highlighting the tension between industrial mining and environmental preservation. ... Read More