Top Maoist leader Narayana Rao surrenders before A.P. police, regrets violence

CPI-Maoist Central Committee Member (CCM) Chelluri Narayana Rao alias Suresh, who surrendered before Andhra Pradesh DGP Harish Kumar Gupta on Monday, regretted the violence he committed.

“I certainly feel sad for the killings and admit the mistakes,” Mr. Narayana Rao, who was also the secretary of Andhra Odisha Border Special Zonal Committee (AOBSZC), told The Hindu, after surrendering before the police.

A native of Pedavanka village in Vajrapu Kothuru mandal of Srirakulam district, Narayana Rao joined the then People’s War Group (PWG) as a dalam member.

He was elevated as Area Committee Member (ACM), and Divisional Committee Member (DVCM) and transferred to the State Military Commission as a member. In 2024, he was promoted as party CCM and acted as AOBSZC secretary.

Narayana Rao was involved in the killing of MLA Kidari Sarveswara Rao and former MLA Siveri Someswara Rao in 2018. He was also part of the team that killed CI Muddada Gandhi, and three other police constables, in a court in 2001.

He participated in several ambushes in Koraput, Kuneru railway station, Neelabhadra and other areas in which several police personnel were killed.

“As per the party ideology and instructions of my higher cadre, I killed the police personnel. But, I regret the killings,” Mr. Narayana Rao said.

He said the welfare schemes introduced by the government have brought in a lot of changes in tribal areas in terms of development.

“The 40-year-old movement (Maoist movement) has lost the public support as the ideology has failed to keep pace with time, leading to its downfall in the entire country,” Mr. Narayana Rao, who was associtaed with the CPI-Maoist party for 36 years.

“A lot of changes have occurred in the Maoist party in the last few years. There is no public support, and there have been no recruitments. I decided to join the mainstream,” he said.