Amaravati, March 30 (NationPress) In a significant development, senior Maoist figure Chelluri Narayana Rao, also known as Suresh, who serves on the CPI-Maoist's Central Committee and is the Secretary of the Andhra Odisha Border Special Zonal Committee, surrendered to the Andhra Pradesh Police alongside eight fellow cadres on Monday.

Director General of Police Harish Kumar Gupta presented the surrendered Maoists to the press in a briefing.

Hailing from Srikakulam district in Andhra Pradesh, Narayana Rao has been involved with the CPI-Maoist for approximately 36 years across various roles, with a bounty of Rs 25 lakh on his head.

Having joined the Maoist ranks in 1990, he has been implicated in significant criminal activities, such as the assassination of MLA Kidari Sarveswara Rao and former MLA Siveri Someswara Rao in Visakhapatnam district during 2018, along with the murder of three police officers.

The reasons cited for his surrender include the death, arrests, and surrenders of senior Maoist figures, a growing disillusionment with outdated Maoist ideologies, dwindling local support and recruitment, as well as the Andhra Pradesh government's appealing surrender and rehabilitation policy. Additionally, extensive police outreach initiatives and government welfare programs in remote tribal regions have contributed to alienating the tribal populace from Maoist influences.

Alongside Narayana Rao, other Maoists who surrendered include Kartam Lachhu, Company Platoon Commander of the People’s Liberation Guerilla Army (PLGA); Podium Raje, Area Committee Member (ACM); Kartam Adame, Platform Party Committee Member (PPCM); Muchaki Masa, ACM; and several others.

Under the state's surrender and rehabilitation policy, the surrendered Maoists will receive the rewards they were promised. Narayana Rao is set to receive Rs 25 lakh, while the others will be awarded between Rs 1 lakh to Rs 5 lakh each.

Authorities also revealed the recovery of 19 firearms during operations, which included an INSAS rifle, two BGLs, five .303 rifles, and several other weapons.

DGP Gupta noted that over the past year, the state police have made significant strides in combating left-wing extremism, including seven firefights that resulted in the neutralization of 18 Maoist cadres, comprising three Central Committee Members.

The Andhra Pradesh Police have also collaborated with their counterparts in Chhattisgarh and Odisha during several operations, leading to the neutralization of key Maoist figures.

Furthermore, the police thwarted plans by underground Maoist groups aiming to carry out high-profile crimes in districts such as Krishna, Eluru, NTR, Kakinada, and Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Konaseema by arresting 50 cadres and seizing numerous weapons and ammunition.

According to the DGP, in the last year, police apprehended 31 cadres, including three members of the Action Team, while 106 Maoist cadres, including a Central Committee Member and two SZCMs, surrendered. A total of 120 weapons were recovered in this timeframe.

The DGP commended the officers and personnel of the Special Intelligence Branch (SIB), Greyhounds, and District Police for their relentless efforts in addressing Left-Wing Extremism (LWE) across the state and the nation. The SIB and Greyhounds have become exemplary models for other states, successfully evolving counter-insurgency methods from traditional policing to specialized guerrilla warfare and targeted intelligence operations.

It was stated that, following prolonged counterinsurgency measures, the police have effectively reduced the strength of underground Maoist cadres operating in Andhra Pradesh to zero.