A day after top Maoist leader Madvi Hidma was killed in an encounter in Andhra Pradesh, the Gadchiroli police in Maharashtra on Wednesday released a video featuring surrendered leader Mallojula Venugopal Rao alias Sonu alias Bhupati, in which he appealed to the cadre to leave the movement and surrender before the security forces.

In the video, Bhupati, 70, a senior Maoist leader who surrendered in October along with 60 cadres, says that he has been receiving news of encounters. “Since this morning, I have been receiving news of an encounter, in which six comrades, including Hidma, have lost their lives. This is a cause for concern. On this occasion, I want to inform all of you that we put down our weapons nearly 1.5 months ago. As you all know, we realised that in these changed circumstan

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