Telangana: Senior Maoist Couple Mala Sanjeev and Perugula Parvathi Surrenders After 45 Years Underground

Rachakonda: In a significant development, two senior underground leaders of the banned CPI (Maoist) surrendered before the Rachakonda Police today, marking a major milestone in Telangana Police’s ongoing de-radicalization efforts.

Mala Sanjeev, also known as Lengu Dada, a Secretariat Member of the Dandakaranya Special Zonal Committee (DKSZC), and his wife Perugula Parvathi alias Deena, a State Committee Member, laid down arms after more than four decades of active involvement in the Maoist insurgency.

Sanjeev, once a close associate of revolutionary balladeer Gaddar, was a founding member of the CPI (Maoist)’s cultural wing, Jana Natya Mandali (JNM), which later evolved into Chaitanya Natya Manch (CNM).

The couple, known for their cultural mobilization efforts across Chhattisgarh’s Dandakaranya region, helped shape Maoist propaganda through songs and theatre in Hindi, Telugu, and Koya languages, influencing tribal youth for years.

Sanjeev, 62, escaped multiple encounters over the years, including major firefights in Telangana’s Mulugu district and Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur National Park. His wife Deena, 50, was active in the Nallamala and Visakhapatnam regions before shifting to Chhattisgarh in 2007. Both were instrumental in training new cadres and leading CNM activities until recently.

The Telangana Police described the surrender as a “moral victory” for its comprehensive strategy against the Maoist movement.

“We appeal to all underground Maoists from Telangana to return to their villages and lead a dignified life,” said a senior police official, reiterating the state’s commitment to rehabilitation and welfare.

The couple’s surrender is seen as part of a larger trend of disillusionment with Maoism, which officials now call an “outdated and rejected ideology.”

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