‘Reduced to near skeleton’: Maoist party is now one-tenth of what it used to be in 2024

The cadre base is supported by a militia base of 1,000 people. “In 2022, the militia was 7,000 in number,” an intelligence official said. The strength of the banned outfit has fallen manifold by 1/10 its original size, a Telangana intelligence source told The Indian Express.

The difference between the cadre and militia is that the former carried sophisticated weapons and were hidden deep in the forest, whereas the militia is a rag-tag group of trained armed people who support the cadre.

The larger support base of the party was 1 lakh in January 2024; now it is just 20,000 people, intelligence sources said. “The Maoist party has collapsed. They will soon be a flash in the pan,” a top intelligence officer told the Indian Express. He added: “The party is reduced to mere skeletal remains”.

Even the central committee, which is one of the main decision-making bodies of the party other than the politburo, now has only five members.

“The CC strength was 19 at the beginning of 2024. While several were neutralised, others have surrendered,” the intelligence source said.

Among those killed were Nambala Keshav Rao alias Basavaraju, the general secretary of the party, who was killed in May 2025. In the most recent times, in November 2025, Madvi Hidma was killed.

“After the death of Hidma, the People’s Liberation Guerilla Army (PLGA) Battalion 1 completely collapsed. While there were 250 members in this battalion, now 40 remain,” the intelligence source said.

The collapse of the party was also caused by a large number of surrenders in Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh and Telangana. “After the demise of Hidma, Barsa Deva was the PLGA battalion chief. He surrendered in Telangana, leading to the complete collapse of this deadly battalion,” a Telangana intelligence official said. On the ideological front, the biggest blow was that of the surrender of Mallojula Venugopal Rao alias Sonu in Gadchiroli. Rao was the ideological head of the Maoist party.

Of those who are still at large, Thippiri Tirupathi alias Devuji is believed to be the most prized asset. “Devuji is the last one standing, along with three other CC members who all hail from Telangana. Our request to them is to surrender,” the intelligence source said.

Nikhila Henry is an Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, based in Hyderabad. With a career spanning 17 years, she has established herself as an authoritative voice on South Indian affairs, specialising in the complex intersections of politics, education, and social justice. Experience & Career: Nikhila commenced her journalism career in 2007 as an education correspondent for The Times of India in Hyderabad,where she gained recognition for her coverage of student politics. Her professional trajectory includes a four-year tenure at The Hindu, where she focused on minority affairs and social welfare. In 2019, she took on a leadership role as the South Bureau Chief for The Quint, where she directed regional coverage across all five South Indian states. Her expansive career also includes a tenure at the BBC in New Delhi and contributions to prestigious international outlets such as The Sunday Times (London) and HuffPost India. Expertise & Focus Areas Nikhila’s reportage is marked by a deep-seated understanding of grassroots movements and institutional policy. Her core focus areas include: Regional Politics: Comprehensive analysis of the socio-political dynamics across South India. Education & Student Movements: Chronicling the evolution of Indian academics and the rise of youth activism. Minority Affairs: Rigorous reporting on the welfare, rights, and challenges facing marginalized communities. National Beat: Elevating regional stories to national prominence through investigative and on-ground reporting. Authoritativeness & Trust A respected figure in Indian media, Nikhila is not only a seasoned reporter but also an accomplished author and editor. She authored the critically acclaimed book The Ferment: Youth Unrest in India and edited Caste is Not a Rumour, a collection of writings by Rohith Vemula. Her dual background in daily news reporting and long-form authorship allows her to provide readers with a nuanced, historically-informed perspective on contemporary Indian society. Find all stories by Nikhila Henry here. ... Read More

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