In a significant setback to the banned Communist Party of India-Maoist, Barse Deva, a prominent Maoist commander, has surrendered to the Telangana Police. Deva, a key figure in the People’s Liberation Guerrilla Army (PLGA) Battalion No. 1, laid down his arms before Telangana’s Director General of Police B Shivadhar Reddy.
Alongside Deva, fifteen other Maoists also surrendered. Deva, originally from Chhattisgarh, was a central figure in the Maoist military hierarchy. The surrender took place on the Telangana-Chhattisgarh border, following which they were brought to Hyderabad.
The surrender of Deva, who led the most elite fighting unit of the outlawed CPI-Maoist, is seen as a significant victory for security forces. Deva, hailing from Puvarti village in Chhattisgarh’s Sukma district, held a crucial position within the PLGA after the death of Madvi Hidma in November 2025.
Telangana’s DGP is expected to officially announce Deva’s surrender and provide further details during a news conference scheduled for Saturday. Deva was known for orchestrating various attacks on security forces in the Dandakaranya forest belt and carried a substantial bounty on his head.
