Anand was accompanied by a large contingent of police and revenue personnel. (Special Arrangement)After five decades, a director general of police set foot in the Telangana side of Karregutta – the Maoist-infested hill once used to house several central committee members of the banned organisation Communist Party of India (Maoist).Speaking at Karregutta on Monday, Telangana DGP CV Anand promised that the place will soon be developed into a tourist spot. “The road, which has been laid, is now kaccha. It will soon be tarred and people will be able to commute through it freely,” Anand told reporters, referring to the path used to enter the forest.Also Read | How did India’s Maoist insurgency collapse, and can it rise again?Speaking of tourism opportunities at Karregutta, the DGP said it would help even those surrendered Maoists who are yet to find a foothold in mainstream society. Surrendered Maoists are given a lump sum grant to start a new life. “The bounty announced on their heads is given to them,” Anand explained.Anand was accompanied by a large contingent of police and revenue personnel. “This delegation had come here in large numbers to send a message that it is safe to visit Karregutta. Earlier, only specialised forces, including Greyhounds and COBRA units, used to visit these spots. They used to leave shortly after their anti-Maoist operations,” Anand said, reminiscing a past which was not that long ago. (Special Arrangement Photo)The contingent later also hoisted the Tricolour at the spot.By March 31 this year, several Central Committee members of the CPI (Maoist) were either killed or arrested, or surrendered themselves. The home ministry had set the deadline for a Naxal-free India and had launched Operation Kagar. (Special Arrangement Photo)Telangana police department extensively cooperated with Operation Kagar, the DGP said, adding, “Around 700 Maoists have surrendered in Telangana alone during this operation.”Story continues below this adAlso Read | ‘Slogans’ for Umar Khalid, Mao books on laptop: Why 2 TISS students were denied anticipatory bailThe 1991-batch officer said that only two to three top Maoists are still absconding. “The main person among them is Muppala Laxaman Rao alias Ganapati. We request him to surrender and embrace a new life in the mainstream,” Anand said.Muppala Lakshmana Rao is the former General Secretary of the CPI (Maoist). He was the longest serving general secretary of the banned outfit. He was succeeded by Nambala Keshava Rao alias Basavaraju who was killed in a police encounter in May 2025.The Maoist party imploded after Basavaraju’s demise with two factions – one led by Mallojula Venugopal Rao alias Sonu and another by Thippiri Tirupathi alias Devuji – disagreeing on what the future of the outfit would look like. While Sonu and several others surrendered in Maharashtra, Devuji and others later surrendered in Telangana.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