Senior Maoist leader Samatha surrenders before Telangana DGP, receives reward

A 60-year-old senior Communist Party of India (Maoist) member named Samatha surrendered to Telangana director general of police (DGP) CV Anand on Monday night. Samatha, who was born in Rajamahendravaram in Andhra Pradesh, served as a Maoist leader for over three decades. She was the wife of the late senior Maoist leader Patel Sudhakar Reddy, who led the party’s Central Military Commission before being killed by police in 2009.

Samatha carried a reward of ₹20 lakh on her head, but she was immediately given ₹25,000 upon surrender. The DGP said the remaining amount would be handed over to her as per the norms. Samatha and her sister Kakarala Sunitha were both active in the Maoist movement, with Sunitha serving as a member of the Dandakaranya Special Zonal Committee before giving up arms in August 2025.

Their father, Kakarala Satyanaraya, is a veteran of the Telugu film industry, having acted in over 300 films. Samatha began her Maoist career in 1984 and served in various capacities within the party until deciding to surrender due to the movement's decline. Currently, only three Maoist leaders remain hidden in Telangana, including Ganapathy, Jade Ratna Bai (alias Sujatha), and Vartha Sekhar (alias Mangthu). The DGP appealed for them to surrender and join the mainstream.