The Modi government has repeatedly announced its intention to liberate the nation from the violent clutches of Left Wing Extremism (LWE) by 31st March 2026. Hence, an unprecedented operation has been initiated to fulfil this commitment which has achieved remarkable success. The Maoist movement has significantly weakened as numerous members, including high-ranking leaders, have either been eliminated or have surrendered.
Now, in a further advance towards a red-terror-free India, the most-wanted Maoist commander, Mallojula Venugopal Rao also referred to as Bhupathi, along with over 60 of his associates laid down arms in Gadchiroli of Maharashtra. He was a member of the Politburo and one of the last three top leaders of the banned Communist Party of India (Maoist).
#WATCH | Gadchiroli, Maharashtra: Naxal Commander Mallojula Venugopal Rao alias Bhupati, surrenders in front of CM Devendra Fadnavis at the Gadchiroli Police Police Headquarters. Around 60 Naxalites surrendered today.
Naxal Commander Mallojula Venugopal Rao alias Bhupati gave a… pic.twitter.com/stBiJWEJvd
— ANI (@ANI) October 15, 2025
Bhupathi is recognized by various other names, including Sonu, Sonu Dada, Venugopal, Abhay, Master, Vivek and Venu. He had several bounties on his head, from Rs 1 crore to 10 crore, in states such as Odisha, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. Maoist activity in the Gadchiroli area suffered a huge jolt as a result his surrender. Meanwhile, 78 cadres capitulated in Chhattisgarh on 15th October following the occurrences in Maharashtra.
Who is Mallojula Venugopal Rao
The 69-year-old was born into a Brahmin family in Peddapalli, Karimnagar district of Telangana, on 10th May 1956. He was the youngest son of Mallojula Venkataiah and Madhuramma’s three sons. His parents were part of a family of freedom fighters and priests. The two passed away, Madhuramma in 2022 and Venkataiah in 1997.
Their oldest son Mallojula Koteshwara Rao, also known as Kishenji, became one of the most powerful figures in the Maoist organisation until being slain in a police encounter in West Bengal on 24th November 2011 while the second son Anjanna, is a temple priest.
As the military leader and member of the Politburo, Kishenji led the operations in Lalgarh of Bengal since 2008. He was a founding member of the People’s War Group (PWG) and guided its union with the Maoist Communist Centre of India to create the CPI (Maoist) in 1980. Notably, Bhupati had begun his Maoist operations with the PWG.
The Radical Students Union and People’s War Group, two organisations that fostered Leftist ideology in undivided Andhra Pradesh, attracted him when he was pursuing a degree in commerce. During the 1970s and 1980s, the groups served as breeding grounds for Naxalite ideas.
Bhupathi first attempted to pursue a normal career, even working as an apprentice in the state public relations department in Adilabad, Andhra Pradesh, after graduating. However, he soon followed his sibling’s footsteps which left his life enveloped in violence for at least 40 years.
Emergence of a proficient Maoist propagandist
Bhupathi left his home and family to join Left Wing Extremism and swiftly moved through the ranks of the former People’s War Group (PWG) while operating under the aliases Bhupathi, Sonu, Master and Abhay. He operated out of Gadchiroli and Maad (Abujhmad) in Chhattisgarh where his role transitioned from field operations to ideological command.
Bhupathi was appointed head of the Dandakaranya Special Zonal Committee of the CPI (Maoist) in the Gadchiroli area. He was thereafter tasked with extending the movement to Western Ghats, which run from Goa to Idukki in Kerala, as part of their southern expansion plan.
Afterward, Bhupathi joined the party’s Central Military Commission and Politburo. He functioned as the party’s intellectual leader, its communication expert and the link between the outfit and the outside world beyond Chhattisgarh’s woods. He became Maoist voice after its spokesperson Cherukuri Rajkumar (Azad) was killed in 2010 and presided over the publications division.
“As official spokesperson, he used the alias Abhay and issued statements regularly, although his influence ran far deeper. He shaped ideological discourse, guided propaganda, and oversaw the janatana sarkar, the Maoist parallel governance system in Dandakaranya,” a senior Telangana Special Intelligence Bureau (SIB) officer disclosed, reported The Times of India.
Bhupathi created manifestos, booklets and policy declarations that effectively peddled the party’s nefarious agenda in the form of messaging and outreach. His leadership cemented their brutal authority throughout the far-flung tribal areas of the “Red Corridor” by implementing alleged local governance programs also known as janatana sarkar or people’s government.
The CPI (Maoist) relied on Bhupathi to manage the same in isolated forest areas by combining guerilla control and political supervision. “He mentored new cadres and emerging leaders, ensuring the organisation’s continuity and ideological consistency despite internal rifts and growing security pressure,” an intelligence officer mentioned.
“He promoted political education among cadres and sought to recalibrate armed struggle with political engagement, occasionally advocating short pauses in violence to reassess strategies,” the officer added. Bhupathi even founded a base inside Indravati National Park in Chhattisgarh.
Perpetrating acts of terror against the Indian state
Bhupathi improved guerilla warfare manuals while serving as the head of the People’s Liberation Guerrilla Army’s (PLGA) central military commission. It is the highest Maoist authority in charge of organising and authorising attacks on civilians and security personnel. He advised regional commanders and enforced stringent operational secrecy which enhanced their offensive capabilities.
Bhupathi spent almost 40 years planning and carrying out a number of major strikes in the “Red Corridor.” Over the years, he has been implicated in every deadly attack and conspiracy in the Gadchiroli belt. He is connected to hits on security forces in Maharashtra and is linked with planning multiple assaults in Chhattisgarh, Telangana, Odisha and Andhra Pradesh.
Dozens of CRPF, Special task Force (STF) and District Reserve Guard (DRG) troops were killed in these onslaughts. Bhupati oversaw these operations along the border between Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh as well. His platoons unleashed unbridled violence to instill fear throughout the region.
Bhupathi has been charged with orchestrating the 2011 Chintalnar massacre in the Dantewada district which claimed the lives of 76 Central Armed Police Force (CRPF) members. It was among the most deadly assaults in the history of anti-Maoist operations.
Bhupathi reportedly assumed leadership of Maoist resistance against “Operation Green Hunt” in West Bengal after his brother, especially during the Lalgarh movement. Mostly working from deep forest areas in central India, he remained a crucial strategist in the Maoist leadership.
Bhupathi’s actions enabled the anti-India movement to spread into regions like Telangana, southern Maharashtra and the Western Ghats. He influenced the group’s morale and its perception as a spokesman as he handled press releases, talks during hostage situation as well as the public and media articulation of Maoist beliefs.
Additionally, Bhupathi managed efforts to purportedly reach a balance between appeal to their sympathisers in the intelligentsia and civil society alongside Maoist inflicted terrorism. He became one of the most significant leaders in the history of the Maoist movement in India because of his ability to combine violence with strong organisational control and ideological drive.
Red curtain falls with Bhupathi’s exist
Last month, Bhupathi expressed his wish to put down his weapons and the authorities commenced talks with him. A senior cop revaled that Gadchiroli Police launched their intelligence network and started negotiations through sources in the Bhamragad district after he released press releases and leaflets last month announcing his intention to surrender.
According to him, Bhupathi took the decision as red terror is nearing its demise and the Gadchiroli Police created a favourable atmosphere. The latter published press releases and brochures pointing out his intentions. There was also a lot of discussion among Maoist circles over his surrender.
The officer conveyed that Bhupathi discussed his ideas of discarding the path of violence in a meeting with the people of the Phodewada area around ten days ago. On 13th October, a source close to him told Gadchiroli Police that Bhupathi and other Naxalites were going to give up arms near Hodari village in Bhamragad taluka that same evening.
Gadchiroli Police Superintendent Nilotpal, Inspector General of Police-Anti-Naxal Operations Sandeep Patil and other top personnel were keeping an eye on the situation. The entire group was taken into safe custody after the place of surrender was decided through the source. On the same night, six private vehicles with the surrendered Naxalites were driven to Gadchiroli and the surrender transpired before Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.
Disillusionment with the ideology
A letter was released by Bhupathi prior to his surrender in which he informed his fellow fighters that, given the current situation, he could no longer carry on the armed conflict. He apologised for his failure to stop their downfall and acknowledged that their course had been “completely wrong.” He added that the Maoists had suffered significant setbacks as a result of constant leadership errors.
Bhupathi was supported by the CPI (Maoist) North and West sub-Zonal Bureaus who also indicated an interest in integrating into society. On 15th August, he proclaimed in a written and verbal communication that they were prepared for a ceasefire. He reportedly made another speech in September and asserted that the Central Committee and Politburo had deliberated and decided on laying down arms even before Nambala Keshav Rao (Basavaraju) death in May.
“In view of the changed global and national circumstances, as well as the continuous requests from the Prime Minister, Home Minister and senior police officials to give up arms and join the mainstream, we are ready to give up arms and join the mainstream,” Bhupathi stated in the letter which led to a critical division as his sentiments were termed as personal by the party.
Notably, when CPI (Maoist) general secretary Basavaraju died Bhupathi was considered a potential replacement. However, the Maoist movement was already in a severe fall and cadre morale was crumbling. Furthermore, operations in Bastar and Gadchiroli had been intensified and senior leaders had either perished or captured.
Bhupathi’s wife Tarakka already turned herself in to the Maharashtra police together with ten other Maoists including 8 women amid the presence of chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis in Gadchiroli, in December 2018. She had a reward of Rs 25 lakh on her head and was sought for 66 offences.
The proactive operations such as the vital “Operation Kagar” launched by the Modi government seek to fully eliminate the terrorism imposed by Maoists within the country and Mallojula Venugopal Rao surrender is a momentous step in the direction. It is poised to strengthen the already effective policies of the government and stands as a testament to the collaborative efforts of our security forces, administration and centre in addressing the grave but waning threat.