Police tighten net around Maoist leaders Hidma, Devji in Dandakaranya
HYDERABAD: Police believe the Maoist insurgency has entered its final phase, with only two top leaders — People’s Liberation Guerrilla Army (PLGA) commander Madvi Hidma and Central Committee secretary Tippiri Tirupathi alias Devji — still active in the Dandakaranya region.
Officials said four state police forces are closely monitoring their movements. With several senior leaders either killed in encounters or surrendering, the once-strong cadre base is rapidly weakening.
Nambala Keshava Rao was killed in an encounter, while senior commanders Mallojula Venugopala Rao (Abhay) and Ashanna have surrendered. Over the past three days, more than 300 armed Maoists have laid down their weapons, officials said.
Parallel ‘Janatana Sarkar’ collapses
Until recently, Maoists ran a parallel administration called Janatana Sarkar across parts of Chhattisgarh, Telangana, Odisha and Maharashtra — areas forming the Dandakaranya zone. It functioned independently of state and central governments, with Revolutionary People’s Committees (RPCs) managing agriculture, healthcare, education, ration distribution and local disputes through ‘people’s courts’.
The system is now virtually defunct, police said. Senior leaders such as Abhay, Ashanna, and Ranita who once guided the Janatana Sarkar have either surrendered or been killed. The surrender of hundreds of cadres in recent days has dealt a severe blow to the Maoist structure in the forests.
Police said the PLGA’s 1st Battalion, led by Hidma, and the Central Committee, led by Devji, are the last major Maoist units still intact. A senior officer said that if they surrender or are arrested, “the movement will effectively be leaderless.”
Leadership vacuum deepens
The deaths of several Central Committee members — including Chalapathi, Ganesh, Katta Ramachandra Reddy, and Kadari Satyanarayana Reddy — have further physically disabled the organisation. Former general secretary Ganapathi, now in poor health, has little influence left, officials added.
With increasing desertions, internal differences, and ongoing covert operations, police expect the Maoist presence in the Dandakaranya region to fade out soon.
