In a major blow to the Maoist movement in Maharashtra, 61 Maoists, including prominent central committee member of CPI (Maoist) Mallojula Venugopal Rao alias Bhupati, surrendered in front of the Maharashtra Police at Fodewada village in Bhamragad in the intervening night of October 13 and 14. The 70-year-old Bhupati is known to be one of the brains behind the extremist movement. Other insurgents who surrendered include two State zonal committee members, 10 divisional committee members and cadres from Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh.
The Maoists handed over 54 weapons, including seven AK47s, six SLRs and six INSAS rifles. Bhupati’s surrender comes months after his wife Tarakka, alias Vimala Sidam, also a Maoist leader, turned herself in. His sister-in-law had surrendered in front of the Telangana Police.
