Maoist leader Devuji surrendered, signalling a decline in CPI (Maoist) influence. UPSC examines internal security challenges and government strategies to counter them.
Thippiri Tirupathi (alias Devuji), a senior CPI(Maoist) leader, surrendered in February 2026 — a decisive moment in the collapse of the banned organisation. The politburo is now reduced to just one active member: Misir Besra (operating in Jharkhand-Bihar).
| Indicator | Status |
|---|---|
| Politburo members active | 1 (Misir Besra) |
| Central Committee active | ~5 (down from ~50) |
| Maoists killed since 2024 | 500+ |
| Killed in 2025 alone | ~285 |
| Maoist memorials demolished | 100+ |
Core GS-3 Internal Security topic. The decline of Left Wing Extremism (LWE) illustrates the effectiveness of India's multi-pronged strategy: security operations + development + surrender rehabilitation. The Bastar region remains the last frontier. Key concepts: area domination, civic action programmes, and the SAMADHAN doctrine.
Q1. Approximately how many Maoists were killed in security operations in the year 2025?
Option at index 2 is correct because around 285 Maoists were killed in security operations in 2025. Option at index 0 is incorrect because it is not the number of Maoists killed in 2025. Option at index 1 is incorrect because it is not the number of Maoists killed in 2025. Option at index 3 is incorrect because it is not the number of Maoists killed in 2025.
Q2. Consider the following statements regarding the Communist Party of India (Maoist): 1. Following the surrender of Devuji, Misir Besra is the only active member remaining in the party's politburo. 2. Since 2024, approximately 285 Maoists have been killed in security operations. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
The option at index 0 is correct because statement 1 is correct. Devuji's surrender leaves Misir Besra as the only active politburo member. The option at index 1 is incorrect because statement 2 contains a false number. Since 2024, more than 500 Maoists have been killed, not 285. 285 Maoists were killed in 2025 alone.