'Forests Can't Shield, Protect Yourself, Join Mainstream': Top Maoist Leader Ashanna Alias Roopesh Surrenders
Ashanna is linked with the attack on Chandrababu Naidu’s convoy at Alipiri, a major incident that shook state security forces.
Published : October 17, 2025 at 1:40 AM IST
|Updated : October 17, 2025 at 1:58 AM IST
Raipur: In a major setback to the outlawed Maoist movement, senior Central Committee member Ashanna alias Roopesh has surrendered before authorities, marking one of the most significant surrenders in recent years in the country.
Speaking emotionally before laying down arms, Ashanna said, “We took this decision under difficult circumstances. Some of our comrades still want to fight, but I urge them to consider our safety first. It is time for society to come into the mainstream.”
In a video, Ashanna is seen wearing a cap and speaking in Hindi, “Protect yourselves. The forests can no longer shield us forever. Contact those in other states and return. The time to rebuild lives is now.”
Rise to Naxal ranks from a humble village background
Ashanna, originally from Polonipalli village in Mulugu district, holds an ITI and Polytechnic background. He joined the People’s War Group in 1991 and rose rapidly through the ranks. He became a key member of the People’s War Action Team by 1999.
In 2000, Ashanna was accused of orchestrating the killing of IPS officer Chandrachud in Hyderabad. Three years later, his name surfaced again in connection with the attack on then Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu’s convoy at Alipiri, a major incident that shook state security forces.
According to official sources, 169 Maoist cadres, including three divisional executives, five zonal committee members, and 20 DVC operatives, have surrendered alongside Ashanna. They handed over more than 70 kilograms of weapons to the authorities.
Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai is expected to formally welcome the surrendered cadres in an official ceremony. Security officials described the surrender as a “historic blow” to the Maoist network across Chhattisgarh, Telangana, and Andhra Pradesh, signalling growing fatigue within the organisation after decades of insurgency.
On October 14, Mallojula Venugopal Rao alias Sonu, the Politburo member and senior leader of CPI Maoist, surrendered along with 60 cadres in Maharashtra's Gadchiroli. The surrender was a result of sustained operations by police under the leadership of Union Home Minister Amit Shah and state governments across the country, official sources said.
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