Hyderabad: Following a recent ground visit to the Karregutta hills, director general of police B Shivadhar Reddy on Friday said a detailed report will be submitted to the govt outlining local needs and the prevailing situation, even as a major Maoist surrender marked a significant development in the state’s anti-insurgency efforts.Speaking on the sidelines of the surrender of 42 Maoists, the DGP said interactions with tribal residents revealed urgent demands for basic infrastructure, including schools, electricity and drinking water. He said these concerns would be reflected in the report to guide immediate govt intervention.Responding to a query on former CPI (Maoist) general secretary Muppalla Lakshman Rao alias Ganapathi, Shivadhar Reddy said police have information that he is alive but no longer residing in forest areas. Police said the surrendered cadres included members from multiple wings—21 from the People’s Liberation Guerrilla Army battalion 21, 11 from the Telangana state committee and 10 from the Dandakaranya special zonal committee. With the surrender of the Telangana committee members, the state committee has effectively ceased to exist. Authorities also seized 36 firearms, including five AK-47 rifles, four SLRs and three INSAS rifles, along with 800 grams of gold. Officials indicated that the govt is expected to issue orders shortly to provide health cards to surrendered Maoists. Over the past one-and-a-half years, 761 Maoists have surrendered, including four central committee members and 21 state committee members, signalling a steady weakening of the insurgent network.
