Manda Ruben, a 67-year-old high-ranking leader of the CPI Maoist group, known by his aliases Kannanna and Manganna, recently surrendered to Warangal Police Commissioner Sunpreet Singh. His decision was driven by a combination of declining health and other undisclosed factors. Ruben was a significant figure, serving as the senior Division Committee Secretary for South Bastar and a member of the influential Dandakaranya Special Zonal Committee (DKSZC). A substantial reward of ₹8 lakh was previously offered for his capture.
During a press briefing, Commissioner Sunpreet Singh revealed more about Ruben’s past. Hailing from Vangapadu village in Hanamkonda district’s Hasanparthy mandal, Ruben’s journey into radical ideology began in 1979. At the time, he was working in the hostel mess of the Regional Engineering College (now NIT Warangal) and was deeply influenced by Nambala Keshava Rao, also known as Basvaraj—a former REC student who went on to become the slain CPI Maoist General Secretary.
The Commissioner further detailed Ruben’s active involvement: “Ruben joined the underground movement in 1981, serving with the Kunta-Bastar squad under Lanka Papi Reddy until 1986. His dedication led to his promotion as an Area Committee Member in 1987. In 1991, he was apprehended by Chhattisgarh police in Kothagudem and spent a year in Jagdalpur prison. However, he managed to escape with three others, swiftly returning to Maoist operations.” From 1992 to 1999, Ruben continued his work as an Area Committee Member in the Kunta and Abujhmarh regions. A significant personal event occurred in 1999 when, following instructions from Central Committee Member Ravula Sriniva (also known as Ramanna and Gopanna), he married Podium Bhime from Gundraayi village in Bijapur district.
By 2005, while functioning as a Division Committee Member, Ruben expressed a desire to leave the party due to his failing health. Yet, he was persuaded by senior leaders to remain. He then settled with his family in Gundraayi village, where he supported the party by managing poultry and sheep farms, and crucially, by offering shelter, food, and intelligence to Maoist operatives, the Commissioner explained.
Ultimately, a combination of factors led to Ruben’s surrender: worsening health, the physical toll of an underground existence, the perceived diminishing ideological relevance of Maoism, and growing public opposition to Maoist violence. He has chosen to surrender, seeking a peaceful life with his family, and will now benefit from the Telangana government’s rehabilitation and resettlement program designed for former Maoists, the Commissioner concluded.