
Maoist kingpin Sonu's last stand? Frontrunner to lead CPI (Maoist) set to surrender, shaking rebel ranks
Mallojula Venugopal Rao
, better known by his alias Sonu, a senior member of the CPI (Maoist) central committee and once considered a frontrunner to lead the banned outfit, is expected to surrender before
Gadchiroli police
, top officials in Maharashtra's
anti-Naxal operations
have told The Times of India.
The 69-year-old veteran insurgent, who holds a BCom degree and belongs to a Telugu Brahmin family, has reportedly grown weary of the struggle. Sonu had earlier appealed to the government for a ceasefire. According to the ToI report, his deteriorating physical condition and the shrinking influence of his armed group — particularly against elite forces like Maharashtra's C-60 commandos and Telangana's Greyhounds — are key reasons for the impending surrender.
Sonu is the elder brother of slain Maoist leader Mallojula Koteshwar Rao alias Kishenji, who was killed in a 2011 encounter near Kolkata.
Play Video
Pause
Skip Backward
Skip Forward
Unmute
Current Time
0:00
/
Duration
0:00
Loaded
:
0%
0:00
Stream Type
LIVE
Seek to live, currently behind live
LIVE
Remaining Time
-
0:00
1x
Playback Rate
Chapters
Chapters
Descriptions
descriptions off
, selected
Captions
captions settings
, opens captions settings dialog
captions off
, selected
Audio Track
Picture-in-Picture
Fullscreen
This is a modal window.
Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window.
Text
Color
White
Black
Red
Green
Blue
Yellow
Magenta
Cyan
Opacity
Opaque
Semi-Transparent
Text Background
Color
Black
White
Red
Green
Blue
Yellow
Magenta
Cyan
Opacity
Opaque
Semi-Transparent
Transparent
Caption Area Background
Color
Black
White
Red
Green
Blue
Yellow
Magenta
Cyan
Opacity
Transparent
Semi-Transparent
Opaque
Font Size
50%
75%
100%
125%
150%
175%
200%
300%
400%
Text Edge Style
None
Raised
Depressed
Uniform
Drop shadow
Font Family
Proportional Sans-Serif
Monospace Sans-Serif
Proportional Serif
Monospace Serif
Casual
Script
Small Caps
Reset
restore all settings to the default values
Done
Close Modal Dialog
End of dialog window.
by Taboola
by Taboola
Sponsored Links
Sponsored Links
Promoted Links
Promoted Links
You May Like
If you eat ginger every day for a month, your body will experience the following phenomena
Tips and Tricks
Sources cited by ToI suggest that Sonu could soon join his wife Tarakka, who surrendered before
Maharashtra Police
in late 2023 and is currently housed at a Gadchiroli police rehabilitation camp. On Thursday, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister
Devendra Fadnavis
hinted at an impending large-scale surrender in the region — interpreted by officials as a reference to Sonu and his group.
'Sonu is likely holed up in the Abujmarh forested hillocks. He saw the end coming a month ago and called for a truce,' an unnamed official told ToI. Security personnel said cadres should surrender soon, warning that the Maoist stronghold is rapidly collapsing. 'Forces are prodding deeper and moving fast. The guerrillas are under siege,' a senior officer said.
Live Events
Although names like Sonu and his comrade Thippiri Tirupati alias Devji (60) have surfaced as possible successors to the late general secretary Basavaraju, intelligence agencies cited by ToI believe neither has the capacity to lead — especially Sonu, given his age and apparent openness to peace.
The report also highlights growing discontent within lower-rung tribal cadres, particularly against the Telugu-speaking leadership of the CPI (Maoist). 'There is deep resentment about how the tribal fighters are treated — being pushed into the frontlines or forced into menial work,' a security official who had interrogated a surrendered cadre told ToI.
With morale low and leadership crumbling, sources told the paper that a wider exodus from the Maoist ranks may be imminent. The official added, 'The Telugu hierarchy will never allow tribal cadres to lead, even if they do the fighting. That rigidity has brought them to the brink.'
With inputs from ToI

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Time of India
29 minutes ago
- Time of India
IGNOU materials to be translated into Odia
Bhubaneswar: Higher education department on Monday signed an MoU with Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) to facilitate the translation of IGNOU's course materials for all academic programmes into Odia for the benefit of Odia-speaking learners. The aim of the agreement is to deliver IGNOU's UG, PG, and certificate programmes in the Odia language and to improve access to quality higher education for Odia-speaking learners, particularly from rural and marginalised communities, official sources said. According to the MoU, this understanding is to foster a collaborative framework between IGNOU and higher education department for content translation, academic support, outreach, and learner facilitation. The department may upload the translated management course material of IGNOU in different languages on their portal for free access by students and faculty members from different institutions in Odisha and outside. The copyright of the translated material will be as per IPR and relevant policies of IGNOU, said official sources. The university will provide access to original course materials and content. It will provide technical and academic guidance related to the translation process, review and approve the quality of translated materials to ensure academic rigour and accuracy, and facilitate the use of the translated materials within its existing academic framework as per IGNOU norms. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Good News: You May Be Richer Than You Think Undo The department will bear all expenses related to the translation, vetting, and final review of the course materials, including honorarium, editorial, administrative, and any other incidental costs. It will engage qualified translators, editors, and academic experts proficient in Odia and the subject areas concerned to ensure the accuracy and quality of the final translated materials. The department will coordinate with IGNOU for effective implementation and timely completion of the translation process. The govt will spend more than Rs 2 crore for this purpose. This MoU shall be effective from the date of signing and shall remain valid for five years. Higher education minister Suryabanshi Suraj said the Odisha govt is implementing the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 in the state, which has the main objective of promoting vernacular languages. "For this, we are going to translate all courses that are available with IGNOU," he added.


News18
30 minutes ago
- News18
News18 Evening Digest: Meghalaya Honeymoon Murder, Jaishankar On Ceasefire & Other Top Stories
Last Updated: We are also covering: Rajnath Singh Objects To Pakistan's Role At UNSC Anti-Terror Panel, Mamata's Message On Op Sindoor In Bengal Assembly, and more stories In today's News18 afternoon digest, we bring you the latest update on Raja Raghuvanshi's murder in Meghalaya, Jaishankar's real reason for the India-Pakistan ceasefire, and other top stories. The disappearance of a couple on honeymoon, husband's body in a ditch and wife's surrender – the mystery over the 'disappearance" of Indore's Sonam and Raja Raghuvanshi ended on June 9. But then emerged the new angle – the suspected lover, Raj Kushwaha, who materialised his wife's alleged plan to eliminate the husband. READ MORE Meghalaya Honeymoon Murder: The pregnancy test of Sonam Raghuvanshi, the main accused in the Raja Raghuvanshi murder case, was 'inconclusive", and doctors have recommended an ultrasound after a week. The test was part of a detailed medical examination conducted on Monday by a team of three female doctors who assessed her physical and mental condition. READ MORE West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday questioned why none of the terrorists responsible for the Pahalgam terror attack had been captured. She suggested that the military standoff with Pakistan had been an 'opportunity to take control of PoK (Pakistan-occupied Kashmir)". READ MORE External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has provided a candid revelation about the real reason behind the India-Pakistan ceasefire on May 10, saying, 'Fighting stopped on the 10th for one reason and one reason only, which was that on the 10th morning we hit these eight Pakistani, the main eight Pakistani airfields and disabled them". READ MORE Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday said that the United Nations Security Council's (UNSC) decision to appoint Pakistan as the vice-chair of its anti-terror panel was like 'asking the cat to protect the milk." READ MORE Kunal Kapoor Shooting For Ramayana? His New PICS Spark Buzz: 'He Does Look Like Indra Dev' There's massive excitement for Nitesh Tiwari's 'Ramayana', which will be released in two parts in 2026 and 2027, respectively. The film stars Ranbir Kapoor, Sai Pallavi, Yash, Sunny Deol and others. Kunal Kapoor plays Lord Indra in the highly-anticipated film, and his recent pictures have left fans speculating whether he is currently shooting for the film. Fans couldn't stop gushing over his sharp jawline, with many sharing the opinion that he's absolutely perfect to play Indra Dev. READ MORE First Published: June 10, 2025, 18:03 IST


Time of India
44 minutes ago
- Time of India
Top 5 news of the day: Jaishankar's stern message to Pak over terror; US embassy warns on visa misuse amid Indian student handcuffing row; & more
Top 5 news of the day External affairs minister S Jaishankar warned Pakistan that India will not hesitate to conduct deep strikes within its territory if terrorist provocations continue. His comments come in the wake of India's Operation Sindoor , aimed at targeting terrorist camps following the Pahalgam terror attack. In Austria, a tragic school shooting in Graz left at least 10 people dead. The suspected shooter, believed to be a student, was reported to have taken his own life. Emergency responders acted swiftly, and the situation has now been deemed secure by local authorities. Meanwhile, activist Greta Thunberg has been deported from Israel after being intercepted on a Gaza-bound aid ship. Here are the top 5 news of the day: 'We will go deep into Pak': Jaishankar's stern message over terror External affairs minister S Jaishankar has issued a stern warning to Pakistan, stating that India will not hesitate to launch deep strikes if faced with terrorist provocations. His comments, made during an interview in Brussels, follow India's recent 'Operation Sindoor' targeting terror camps in Pakistan. Jaishankar condemned Pakistan's reliance on terrorism and highlighted India's successful air strikes that have degraded Pakistan's military capabilities. Read full story US embassy warns on visa misuse amid Indian student handcuffing row The US Embassy in India has reiterated its firm stance against illegal immigration, stating that it will not tolerate visa abuse or violations of US law. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 5 Books Warren Buffett Wants You to Read In 2025 Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo This declaration follows a troubling incident where an Indian student was handcuffed and deported from Newark Airport, sparking outrage and calls for assistance from the Indian Embassy. Read full story At least 10 dead in Austria school shooting, suspect kills self A devastating shooting at BORG Dreierschützengasse school in Graz left at least 10 people dead and several more injured. The suspected shooter, a student, reportedly took his own life in a school restroom. Authorities responded swiftly to the scene, with special forces deployed. Casualties are believed to include both students and teachers. The police confirmed the situation is now secure and the public is advised to stay clear of the area. Read full story 'On flight to Sweden': Israel deports Greta after intercepting Gaza-bound ship Activist Greta Thunberg was deported from Israel after Israeli naval forces intercepted the Gaza-bound aid ship she was on. The Swedish environmentalist was flown to France en route to Sweden. Thunberg was part of a group of 12 passengers aboard the Madleen, which was seized while carrying humanitarian supplies to Gaza. Rights groups condemned Israel's actions as violations of international law, while Israel defended its blockade of Gaza. Read full story Donald Trump's 'One Big Beautiful Bill' ends Medicaid for illegal immigrants The White House announced that US President Trump's "One Big Beautiful Bill" (OBBB) will terminate taxpayer-funded healthcare for undocumented immigrants, asserting that over 1.4 million are on Medicaid. The legislation proposes increased immigration enforcement, including funding for new ICE agents and annual deportation targets. Critics warn the cuts to Medicaid could severely impact vulnerable Americans. Read full story