Top maoist leader Muppala Lakshmana Rao Alias Ganapathy to surrender

Hyderabad, Sept 02: Amid media speculations that top Maoist leader Ganapathy was likely to surrender due to ill- health, the Telangana police on Wednesday said they welcomed any such move by the ultra.

A senior police official on Wednesday said so far they have not received any communication from Ganapathy or anyone associated with him regarding the surrender, however, speculation was rife that he may turn himself in.

"... there is a rumour doing the rounds that he (Ganapathy) is having some serious health problem.. and there is a speculation that he may come back (surrender) because his condition requires specialised treatment," the official told PTI adding so far he has not contacted Telangana police.

The Telangana police welcomed any such move (offering to surrender before police) by any ultra.

"He is free to come...if he wants to come let him come.

He may try his own ways," the official added.

Ganapathy, (around 73 years of age), is a native of Jagtiyal district in Telangana.

In November 2018, a purported statement from the outlawed Communist Party of India (Maoist), said Ganapathy has been replaced by his second-in-command Nambala Keshava Rao alias Basavaraju.

Muppala Lakshmana Rao alias Ganapathy, stepped down from his position due to his deteriorating health and age-related issues, a statement issued by the Maoists and circulated on social media, said.

After the CPI (Marxist-Leninist) (People's War) and the Maoist Communist Centre (MCC) merged to form the CPI (Maoist) in 2004, Ganapathy took charge as its general secretary.

He was the general secretary of the CPI (Marxist- Leninist) (People's War) from 1992 to 2004.