New Delhi: In a major blow to the banned Communist Party of India (Maoist), one of its senior-most leaders, Mallojula Venugopal Rao alias Sonu, has surrendered before the Maharashtra Police, ThePrint has learnt.

Sonu, who also goes by the alias Abhay, is a member of the Maoists’ top decision-making body Central Committee. He laid down the arms along with several dozen cadres in the Gadhchiroli district of the state.

The development comes weeks after inputs about difference among various Maoist factions came to light after a 15 August letter, signed purportedly by Sonu and proposing a unilateral ceasefire with security forces, surfaced last month. Show Full Article

In the letter, Sonu, in his capacity as the spokesperson of the Central Committee, had announced a temporary ceasefire fr

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