Hyderabad, Aug 21 : Two senior leaders of the banned Communist Party of India (CPI-Maoist) surrendered before Telangana Police on Thursday.

Kakarla Sunitha alias Badri, senior State Committee Member of CPI-Maoist's Dandakaranya Special Zonal Committee (DK SZC) and Chennuri Harish alias Ramanna, an Area Committee Member (ACM) of Telangana State Committee, surrendered before Rachakonda Police Commissioner G. Sudheer Babu.

After being involved in the Maoist movement for over 40 years, the two Maoist leaders decided to return to the national mainstream.

Motivated by various welfare measures of the Telangana government and state police and the support extended to those who have returned to the mainstream, they decided to lead a peaceful life with their families.

The Police Commissioner said 62-year-old Sunita, as a member of the Regional Political School and the Education Departmental Committee, was an ideologue and intellectual of the CPI(Maoist). She contributed significantly to formulating various strategies and played a key role in preparing several documents and in publishing party magazines such as Kranthi.

Sunitha got attracted to the Radical Students Union (RSU) while studying intermediate in Rajahmundry in 1985. Her father, Kakarla Satyanarayana, was an important leader of the Revolutionary Writers' Association (RWA/Virasam).

Revolutionaries like Varavara Rao and Gaddar used to frequently visit her home. Their influence also contributed to her attraction towards the party. In January 1986, she joined CPI (ML) People's War and went underground.

She initially worked as a central organiser of the outfit in Vijayawada town and in August 1986 married TLN Chalam alias Goutham alias Sudhakar.

During the 1990s, Sunitha worked in the Forest Divisional Committee of Nallamalla Forest and took part in encounters. She later moved to the Andhra-Odisha border. In 2006, the couple was sent to Dandakarnya.

According to police, she, along with her husband, took part in the Annapuram National Park encounter on June 5, 2025. Her husband Chalam was killed in this encounter.

Harish was attracted towards the Maoist party ideology while studying 10th class in BC Welfare Hostel in Eturanagaram in 2006. The 35-year-old hails from the Bhupalapally district.

The Police Commissioner termed their surrender as a success of the strategies adopted by the Telangana Police.

He urged all underground Maoist natives of Telangana to join the mainstream, return to their native villages and take part in the development of the state.

He said that every Maoist who joins the mainstream will be provided the benefits under the rehabilitation scheme announced by the Telangana government.

/IANS