Hyderabad, Apr 10 (TNT): Telangana Director General of Police B Shivadhar Reddy on Friday said the state government would shortly issue health cards for all surrendered Maoists and a Government Order in this regard would be released soon.
Speaking to reporters after 42 underground Maoist cadres surrendered along with 36 firearms, the DGP said the proposed health cards would have no treatment limit.
He said the move fulfils an assurance given earlier by Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy that health cards would be extended to all cadres who surrendered between 2024 and 2026.
Shivadhar Reddy said all surrendered cadres in Telangana, irrespective of their native place, would be covered under the scheme.
He said all benefits due under the rehabilitation policy are being extended promptly to surrendered cadres to help them rebuild their lives with dignity and security.
The DGP said he had written to the government seeking an increase in reward amounts on the remaining underground cadres beyond the existing levels.
He said a total of 205 underground Communist Party of India (Maoist) cadres have surrendered in Telangana so far in 2026, reflecting growing trust in the government’s rehabilitation policy and sustained pressure from security forces.
Replying to a query, Shivadhar Reddy said former top Maoist leader Muppala Laxmana Rao, alias Ganapathi, is alive and in good health but is no longer in the forest.
He said only five active underground CPI (Maoist) cadres from Telangana remain in various formations outside the state, mainly in Chhattisgarh, following recent large-scale surrenders.
The remaining cadres include Ganapathi and Pasanuri Narahari alias Santhosh, both Central Committee members; Jade Ratna Bai alias Sujatha and Vartha Shekhar alias Mangthu, both State Committee members; and Rangaboina Bhagya alias Rupi, an Area Committee member.
Describing Ganapathi as the only significant cadre left from Telangana, the DGP said the veteran Maoist leader has not been involved in active operations since 2007 though he continues to hold a nominal position in the organisation.
“We have information that Ganapathi is alive and well, but certainly not in the forest,” he said.
The DGP appealed to the remaining underground cadres to surrender and join the mainstream, assuring them of benefits under the Telangana government’s surrender and rehabilitation policy.
TNT TS
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