Maoists wanted to use Andhra cities for refuge and regroup, says ADGP Mahesh Laddha

Andhra Pradesh will be declared as Maoist-free soon and police will achieve the target by March 2026, deadline given by the Centre, said Additional Director General of Police (ADGP-Intelligence) Mahesh Chandra Laddha.

Maoists have selected Andhra Pradesh as shelter zone, and many of them from Chhattisgarh forests were taking shelter at different places in the State, Mr. Laddha said while producing the arrested Maoists before the mediapersons in Vijayawada on Wednesday (November 19, 2025). They would be produced in the concerned courts, he added.

“The Madvi Hidma battalion was divided into groups and they were staying in various districts for over a month. Police who were waiting for an opportunity began the operation on November 17, in which six were killed in ASR District, and over 50 were arrested in Krishna, Eluru, NTR, Konaseema and Kakinada districts,” Mr. Laddha said.

Giving the details of the operation in which 50 Maoists were arrested, which was for the first time in the State, the State Intelligence Chief said due to the heavy blow inflicted on to the Maoists, as part of Operation Kagar, across all LWE affected states Such as Chhattisgarh, Andhra Odisha Border (AOB) and Maharashtra, the Maoists were forced to come out of their hideout in Chhattisgarah and move into Andhra Pradesh.

“Some hardcore Naxalites, including the Special Zonal Committee Members, Divisional and Area Committee Members entered into AP, and were conducting ‘recce’ at some places and targets. They planned to revive the movement by creating violence in the State and then escape into AOB region,” Mr. Laddha said.

Police, OCTOPUS (Organisation for Counter Terrorist Operations) and the Greyhounds police used drones, kept continuous surveillance on the Maoists, and carried out the operation in the State. More surrenders are expected in the coming days, he said.

“Maoists ideology has gone defunct and things have changed. We appeal to the Maoists to shun violence and surrender before the government. Police intensified combing for the Naxalites, who escaped from police on Tuesday (Nov.18),” the Intelligence ADGP said.

The police teams arrested very important cadres and seized 45 weapons, 280 cartridges, 270 rounds of ammunition, communication equipment, about ₹12 lakh in cash and Maoist literature from them.

“Of the 50 surrendered Maoists, 28 were natives of Bastar district, 21 were from Sukma and one Naxalite hails from Narayanapur district. There is no Maoists threat in the State, as of now,” Mr. Laddha pointed out.

The surrendered Naxalites would be rehabilitated properly as per the surrender policy, the Intelligence ADGP added.

IGPs S.V. Rajashekar Babu, P.H.D. Ramakrishna and G.V.G. Ashok Kumar, Superintendents of Police Bindu Madhav, V. Vidya Sagar Naidu and K. Pratap Shiva Kishore and other officers were present.