Latest news with #MallojulaVenugopalRao
Time of India
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
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
Time of India
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Mallojula Venugopal Rao alias Sonu, frontrunner to lead CPI (Maoist), may also give up arms
NAGPUR: CPI (Maoist) central committee (CC) member Mallojula Venugopal Rao alias Sonu (69), who was considered among the frontrunners for the banned party's top post after the gunning down of its general secretary Basavaraju, is likely to surrender before Gadchiroli police, top sources in anti-Naxal apparatus in Maharashtra said. The Maoist veteran, a Telugu Brahmin with a BCom degree who had appealed to govt for a ceasefire, has lost his agility and leads a motley group which is no match for the elite C60 commandos of Maharashtra or Grey Hounds of Telangana. He is the elder brother of Mallojula Koteshwar Rao alias Kishenji, who was eliminated in an encounter near Kolkata in 2011. Sonu is likely to lay down arms and join his wife Tarakka, who surrendered before Maharashtra police late last year and is currently staying at Gadchiroli police's rehabilitation camp. On Thursday, CM Devendra Fadnavis hinted at large-scale surrender of rebels in Gadchiroli, which sources claim is a pointer to the possible laying down of arms by an entire 'platoon' commandeered by Sonu. "Sonu is likely to be holed up in a forested hillock at Abujmarh. He saw the end coming a month ago and called for a truce," said an official source, adding that all cadres should immediately approach govt or security apparatus and surrender to avoid fatalities. "Forces are prodding deeper and moving fast. The tables have turned, the guerrillas are under siege, they can no longer ambush with mines or grenades," said a senior police officer. Though there's speculation about Sonu or his younger comrade Thippiri Tirupati alias Devji (60) heading CPI (Maoist), intelligence agencies feel the veteran Maoist doesn't have age on his side, and is inclined for truce. Apart from the tottering leadership, security agencies pointed out that the tribal cadres in Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra are rudderless. "There's strong resentment among lower-rung tribal cadres against Telugu domination of CC and the way they force tribals to do menial jobs or push them into the frontlines," said an official, adding arrogance and rigidity of Telugu leadership in CC has led to their decimation. Sources said there's a possibility of an exodus now, with tribal cadres ready to abandon the Maoist cause and return to the mainstream, rather than get neutralised. " Telugu hierarchy in CPI(Maoist) will not allow tribal cadres to lead the movement, even though they don't marshal the force or lead from the front," said a senior official who had interrogated a surrendered guerrilla.
