Top CPI (Maoist) leaders Chandranna and Prabhath surrender before DGP in Hyderabad
HYDERABAD: Two senior leaders of the banned Communist Party of India (Maoist) — Central Committee Member Pulluri Prasad Rao alias Shankaranna Chandranna Somanna and State Committee Member Bandi Prakash alias Prabhath — surrendered before the Telangana Police on October 28, 2025, marking a major success in the state’s efforts to bring underground cadres back into civil society.
The surrender took place in the presence of the Director General of Police (DGP), Telangana. Both leaders cited poor health, age-related ailments, and ideological rifts within the Maoist organisation as reasons for quitting the movement. Their decision follows Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy’s October 21 appeal urging Maoists to shun violence and participate in the state’s welfare and development programmes.
Four decades underground
Chandranna, 64, a native of Vadkapur village in Julapally mandal of Peddapally district, had spent over 45 years underground. Once the Secretary of the North Telangana Special Zonal Committee and later a Central Committee Member guiding the Telangana State Committee (TSC), he rose through various ranks since joining the movement in 1980.
After serving as the TSC Secretary until December 2024, he stepped down, handing charge to Bade Chokka Rao alias Damodar. His wife, Kursanul Mothibai Radhakka, a former divisional committee member, was arrested in 2013 and released in 2015.
Prabhath’s Maoist career
Bandi Prakash, 55, hailing from Mandamarri in Mancherial district, spent 42 years underground. He was in charge of the Telangana State Committee Press Team and the Singareni Coal Belt Committee. Over the years, he held several roles, including Secretary of the Adilabad District Committee and Editor of Prajavimukthi magazine.
Both leaders will receive rehabilitation benefits under the Telangana Government’s policy for surrendered Maoists. Authorities confirmed that the ₹25 lakh cash reward on Chandranna and the ₹20 lakh reward on Prabhath were withdrawn and transferred through demand drafts.
‘Moral victory’ for Telangana Police
DGP Anjani Kumar described the surrender as a “moral victory” for the state’s holistic approach against extremism, noting that 427 underground cadres have returned to the mainstream in 2025 alone. These include two Central Committee Members, eight State Committee Members, and several divisional and area-level cadres.
Currently, 64 CPI (Maoist) cadres native to Telangana remain underground, including five Central Committee and ten State Committee members. The DGP reiterated the state’s appeal: “Lay down arms and join the mainstream of public life.”
The police emphasised that all surrendered cadres would be provided immediate financial relief, protection, and support to rebuild their lives.
