Hyderabad: The reported offer by the banned CPI (Maoist) seeking a ‘ceasefire’ with preconditions appears to be a tactical move by the rebels to save their cadres in light of the heavy casualties suffered in recent times, a senior Telangana police official said on Thursday, April 3.
The police official stated that they would verify the authenticity of the statement attributed to the outlawed CPI (Maoist), which was circulated on social media the previous day.
The statement set preconditions for a ceasefire, including halting anti-Maoist operations and stopping the establishment of new security force camps.
The banned group, which has been experiencing a decline in its ranks due to heavy casualties in frequent encounters with security forces, has called on the central and state governments to create a conducive environment for peace talks.
Dated March 28, the statement purportedly issued by Abhay, a spokesperson for the Maoists’ Central Committee, surfaced two days ahead of Union home minister Amit Shah’s scheduled visit to Chhattisgarh.
Reacting to the purported Maoist statement, a top Telangana police official told PTI, “This may just be a tactical move, as they have suffered too many losses in operations against left-wing extremism in Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, and Madhya Pradesh. So, this could be an attempt to save their cadres.”
He dismissed the ceasefire call as a mere ploy, questioning, “If they are now talking about a ceasefire, why have they been killing people in the name of informers all these years?”
The police official emphasised that the Maoists have continued to target innocent people and attack police forces for years, adding, “How have they suddenly developed an interest in a ceasefire?”
“It seems they (Maoists) issued the statement from Chhattisgarh,” he said, adding that Telangana police will also verify its authenticity.
The Maoists’ press note, originally released in Telugu, claimed that the central and state governments had jointly launched ‘Operation Kagar’ against what they termed a “revolutionary movement”.
According to the statement, counter-insurgency operations have intensified, particularly in Chhattisgarh, resulting in the deaths of more than 400 Maoists over the past 15 months.
The statement also alleged that several civilians had been “unlawfully detained”.
“We are always ready for peace talks in the interest of the people. Therefore, we urge the central and state governments to create a positive atmosphere for dialogue,” the statement said.
It further added, “The government should halt the killings carried out under the guise of anti-Maoist operations in Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra (Gadchiroli), Odisha, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, and Telangana, and stop setting up new security camps. If the central and state governments respond positively to our demands, we will immediately declare a ceasefire.”
The Maoists also appealed to intellectuals, human rights organisations, journalists, students, tribals, and environmental activists to pressure the government into initiating peace talks and launching a nationwide campaign in support of negotiations.
The Telangana police had earlier stated that they successfully countered the CPI (Maoist)’s attempts to form small action teams and commit offences in the state.
This resulted in four exchanges of fire (EoF) in 2024, leading to the neutralisation of 14 extremists and the seizure of 24 firearms.
Additionally, 85 rebels were arrested, and 41 CPI (Maoist) cadres surrendered.
Police also accused the Maoists of conspiring in the killing of two men in Mulugu district, Telangana, in November last year on suspicion of being police informers.
In August, a 24-year-old female Maoist cadre was allegedly killed by her own group in Bhadradri Kothagudem district of Telangana, after being accused of being a police informer.
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