Hyderabad, Sep 13 (PTI) CPI (Maoist) Central Committee member Pothula Padmavati surrendered before the Telangana police here.
Padmavati (62) alias Sujatha, wife of late Maoist leader Mallojula Koteshwar Rao alias Kishanji, has cited health reasons for coming out of CPI (Maoist). She also wanted to join the mainstream in view of the government policies and support, Telangana DGP Jitender told reporters here.
Padmavati, who been underground since the last 43 years, had served as incharge of ‘Janathana Sarkar’, the ‘Revolutionary People’s Committees’ of Maoist bases under the Dandakaranya Special Zonal Committee (Chattisgarh), according to a police release.
Reacting to Padmavati’s surrender, Union Minister of State for Home Bandi Sanjay Kumar appealed to the Maoists to lay down arms and join the path of development.
Padmavati, a native of Jogulamba Gadwal district of Telangana, was married to Kishanji, who had served as Central Committee Member (CCM) and Secretary of the West Bengal State Committee of CPI (Maoist).
Kishanji had died in an exchange of fire with police in West Midnapore district of West Bengal in 2011. The couple has one daughter, the release said.
Padmavati, during her college days, was influenced by Marxist Leninist ideology through her cousins, including Patel Sudhakar Reddy, a senior Maoist leader who died in 2009 during an exchange of fire with police.
Initially, she had worked as a village campaigner for RSU (Radical Students Union). Later, she joined Jana Natya Mandali (cultural outfit) where she briefly worked with late folk singer Gaddar.
She married Kishanji in 1984. In 1987, She and her husband were transferred by CPI (Maoist) to the Dandakaranya Forest Committee in Gadchiroli district in Maharashtra.
Over the following decades, Padmavathi served in various roles and in 2023, she was inducted into the Central Committee of the CPI (Maoist) as a Central Committee Member (CCM).
In May 2025, due to deteriorating health, she expressed her desire to leave the CPI (Maoist).
Through Pulluri Prasada Rao, a Central Committee Member (CCM), she formally requested the Central Committee to relieve her from the organization on health grounds and allow her to rejoin the mainstream with government support.
Her decision reflects a personal need to prioritise her well-being after decades of underground life, the release said.
Padmavati carried a cash reward of Rs 25 lakhs which was handed over to her.
In addition, she will receive further benefits in accordance with the Telangana Government’s rehabilitation policy for surrendered cadres, the release said.
Inspired by the holistic and comprehensive strategy of the Telangana Police for CPI (Maoist) cadres, a total of 404 underground cadres, including four State Committee Members, one Divisional Committee Secretary, eight Divisional Committee Members and 34 Area Committee Members chose to renounce armed struggle and surrendered before the Telangana Police in 2025 alone.
This marks a significant victory for the Telangana Police in their efforts against the CPI (Maoist), it said.
As of today, a total of 78 underground cadres of the CPI (Maoist) are native of Telangana. Out of the 15 Central Committee Members of the CPI (Maoist), 10 are native of Telangana.
The DGP appealed to all the underground Maoist cadres, who are natives of Telangana, to return to their native villages by joining the mainstream.
“As per Hon’ble HM Shri @AmitShah Ji’s call, I once again appeal to Maoists: Lay down arms. Armed revolutions are outdated. Join the path of development and welfare, in line with the people’s aspirations,” Sanjay Kumar said on X. PTI SJR SJR ROH
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