Hyderabad: Ina significant blow to the CPI (Maoist) insurgency, high-ranking commander Barse Deva alias Sukka, along with 19 underground cadre, surrendered before Director General of Police B Shivadhar Reddy on Saturday. This surrender sounded the death knell for the People's Liberation Guerrilla Army (PLGA) and the Telangana State committee of the CPI (Maoist) party.

Deva was a key leader of the PLGA Battalion No 1, which was considered the most lethal armed wing of the banned CPI (Maoist). The surrender marks a significant development in ongoing efforts to curb Maoist activities in the region, the DGP said.

Deva, a native of Puvvarthi village and a contemporary of late Madvi Hidma, was a high-ranking member of the Dandakaranya Special Zonal Committee (DK SZCM). He carried a combined reward of Rs 75,00,000 on his head across multiple states.

Police also recovered 48 firearms and over 2,200 rounds of ammunition. Eight AK-47s, 10 INSAS rifles, and 8 SLR rifles, 4 Barrel Grenade Launchers (BGLs), grenades, and an air gun were among the surrendered weapons.

The seized arsenal featured two LMGs and advanced rifles, including a US-made Colt and an Israel-made Tavor. The DGP appealed to all remaining underground cadres to renounce violence. He said those who surrender are promised full protection and support for social reintegration, assistance to rebuild their lives in a peaceful and dignified manner.