Thippiri Tirupathi alias Devuji officially surrenders before the Telangana Police, becoming the highest-ranking Maoist leader to do so. (Express Photo)It’s rare for a senior-most Maoist leader to return home alive. So, with shock and disbelief, the family of Thippiri Tirupathi alias Devuji, a top leader of the banned Communist Party of India (Maoist), travelled to Hyderabad from Korutla town in Telangana’s Jagtial district to meet him.Devuji, who had been underground for 44 years, surrendered before the Telangana Police Tuesday along with three others — senior Maoist leader Malla Raji Reddy, Bade Chokka Rao alias Damodar, and Nune Narasimha Reddy alias Ganganna. For Devuji’s family, the reunion with the 62-year-old was overwhelming.“I’m seeing him after 44 years. I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw him alive on news channels Tuesday,” Thippiri Gangadhar, Devuji’s youngest brother, told the media. Gangadhar had travelled to Hyderabad with his wife. “I remained glued to TV the entire day. When the visuals stopped on TV, I replayed them on my mobile phone.”Their sister and her family were also at the reunion, about which Gangadhar said there were “only happy tears and hugs, and not much talking”.“There is so much to talk about, so many questions to ask. So much to know what he did all these years and whether he remembered and missed us. But all that will come later. Today, we were all too overwhelmed to speak much,” he said, adding that his brother has expressed his wish to settle down in his hometown of Korutla.Snehlatha Reddy, daughter of senior Maoist leader Malla Raji Reddy, also met her 70-year-old father after nearly 40 years.The Telangana Police, which facilitated the surrenders, arranged family visits. Under the state’s surrender policy, cheques of Rs 25 lakh each were given to Devuji and Raji Reddy, while Rs 20 lakh each were given to Rao and Narasimha Reddy.Story continues below this adThe surrender comes as security forces intensify anti-insurgency operations ahead of Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s March 31, 2026 deadline to end the insurgency. For the Maoists, these surrenders are another blow to a movement already weakened by a series of killings and surrenders — including the deaths of top leaders such as Nambala Keshava Rao alias Basavaraju and Madvi Hidma in encounters, and the surrenders of leaders such as Mallojula Venugopal Rao alias Sonu, and Barsa Deva alias Barsa Sukka.“The Maoist movement is now leaderless and rudderless. Once again, I appeal to the 11 Maoist leaders from Telangana who are still underground to surrender,” Telangana Director General of Police B Shivadhar Reddy. The 11 include Muppala Lakshmana Rao alias Ganapathi and his wife Jode Ratna Bai; sources say that while they are not active, they have refused to give up.With the Telangana Police now pushing for their surrender, sources claim some of the elusive 11 have “made contact” with them.Sreenivas Janyala is a Deputy Associate Editor at The Indian Express, where he serves as one of the most authoritative voices on the socio-political and economic landscape of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. With a career spanning over two decades in mainstream journalism, he provides deep-dive analysis and frontline reporting on the intricate dynamics of South Indian governance. Expertise and Experience Regional Specialization: Based in Hyderabad, Sreenivas has spent more than 20 years documenting the evolution of the Telugu-speaking states. His reporting was foundational during the historic Telangana statehood movement and continues to track the post-bifurcation development of both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. Key Coverage Beats: His extensive portfolio covers a vast spectrum of critical issues: High-Stakes Politics: Comprehensive tracking of regional powerhouses (BRS, TDP, YSRCP, and Congress), electoral shifts, and the political careers of figures like K. Chandrashekar Rao, Chandrababu Naidu, and Jagan Mohan Reddy. Internal Security & Conflict: Authoritative reporting on Left-Wing Extremism (LWE), the decline of the Maoist movement in former hotbeds, and intelligence-led investigations into regional security modules. Governance & Infrastructure: Detailed analysis of massive irrigation projects (like Kaleshwaram and Polavaram), capital city developments (Amaravati), and the implementation of state welfare schemes. Crisis & Health Reporting: Led the publication's ground-level coverage of the Covid-19 pandemic in South India and major industrial incidents, such as the Vizag gas leak. Analytical Depth: Beyond daily news, Sreenivas is known for his "Explained" pieces that demystify complex regional disputes, such as river water sharing and judicial allocations between the sister states. ... Read MoreStay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram© The Indian Express Pvt Ltd