Telangana’s recently appointed Director General of Police (DGP), B. Shivadhar Reddy, has unequivocally dismissed the possibility of engaging in dialogue with Maoist insurgents. He posed a direct question: what would be the purpose of such discussions when, in his view, there is no active Maoist issue within the state’s borders?
DGP Reddy urged Maoist cadres to abandon their armed struggle and rejoin mainstream society, offering assurances that the police would adopt a sympathetic stance, guaranteeing no harassment for those who choose to surrender.
“We are here to help you and welcome you,” he stated to reporters on Wednesday, October 1, 2025, shortly after officially assuming the role of DGP, succeeding the retired Jitender.
He highlighted that numerous Maoist members, including some from Chhattisgarh, have recently surrendered. Notably, Central Committee member Padmavati, also known as Sujata, is among those who have come forward and is now receiving medical treatment with police support.
The new DGP also acknowledged a recent statement from Mallojula Venugopal, a senior CPI (Maoist) leader and politburo member, who had called for a ceasefire and a temporary halt to the armed insurgency. Reddy pointed out that Venugopal’s appeal was even discussed before the death of general secretary Nambala Keshav Rao, known as Basavaraju, who was killed in a confrontation with security forces in Chhattisgarh.
This indicates that a significant debate regarding a ceasefire had taken place among the party’s senior leadership. However, Reddy maintained that despite occasional attempts to infiltrate Telangana, the Maoists’ presence in the state remains negligible.
Addressing the issue of contentious and incendiary content circulating on social media, Mr. Reddy issued a stern warning, promising rigorous action against anyone engaging in character assassination of political leaders or private citizens. However, he remained non-committal when asked about the potential application of the Preventive Detention Act for such offenders.
Earlier, DGP Reddy announced his new role on ‘X’ (formerly Twitter), writing: “With humility, I assume charge as the Director General of Police (DGP), Telangana. I remain committed to upholding law and order with integrity and to ensuring the highest standards of public safety. Together, let us strive to make Telangana a model of peace and progress.”
Subsequently, he met with Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, expressing his gratitude for the trust placed in him for this significant position.
Mr. Reddy, an IPS officer from the 1994 batch who belonged to the erstwhile Andhra Pradesh cadre (now Telangana), notably served as Telangana’s inaugural Intelligence chief under K. Chandrashekhar Rao’s government. For reasons undisclosed, he subsequently fell out of favor with Mr. KCR and was consequently sidelined for nearly eight years during that administration.
He was reinstated as the Intelligence chief following A. Revanth Reddy’s assumption of the Chief Minister’s office. Prior to this, his career included roles such as Superintendent of Police in Nalgonda and Commissioner of Police in Visakhapatnam, both during the period of undivided Andhra Pradesh.