Shun Violence, Give Up Arms, CM Tells Maoists

Hyderabad: Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy on Tuesday appealed to Maoists to give up violence and surrender to join the national mainstream. He urged them to participate in the nation’s development and Telangana’s reconstruction. The Chief Minister said that many Maoists had already laid down their arms and returned to society recently, and called upon those still underground to follow their example.

“I appeal to all Maoist leaders and activists to surrender before the police and join mainstream life. The time has come to be part of the nation-building process by shedding Naxal ideology,” he said while addressing the Police Commemoration Day parade in Goshamahal.

Revanth Reddy noted that “friendly policing” should be extended to law-abiding citizens, not to those who violate the law. While allowing protests to be organised to protect the rights of the people and to express their grievances in a democratic regime, the police must protect democratic rights and ensure that such protests do not cause inconvenience to the public.

“In today’s era of social media, every step and every word of a police officer must be cautious,” he said.

Paying rich tributes to police personnel who sacrificed their lives in the line of duty, Revanth Reddy described the police as a symbol of “trust and assurance” for society. “Even when faced with life-threatening situations, the police never back down from their duty. It is our collective responsibility to remember those who laid down their lives for our safety,” he said.

He added that 191 police personnel across the country, including six from Telangana, had died in the line of duty this year. The martyrs include Greyhounds commandos T. Sandeep, V. Sridhar, and N. Pawan Kalyan; assistant commandant Banothu Jawaharlal; Nalgonda constable B. Saidu; and CCS constable Empalli Pramod Kumar who was killed in Nizamabad three days ago.

The Chief Minister announced an ex gratia of Rs 1 crore for constable Pramod Kumar’s family, along with his last drawn salary until retirement, a government job for a family member, and a 300-square-yard house site. The family will also receive Rs 16 lakh from the Police Security Welfare Fund and Rs 8 lakh from the Police Welfare Fund.

He said the state government was committed to the welfare of all police personnel and the families of martyrs, recalling that land had already been allotted to the families of 33 policemen who died in a Maoist attack in Odisha in 2008.

Highlighting Telangana’s progress in policing, Revanth Reddy said the state police had been ranked first in the India Justice Report 2025 for excellence in adopting technology and implementing innovative policing practices. “The Telangana Police has set an example for the country in tackling terrorism, extremism, white-collar crimes, drugs, cybercrimes, and other anti-social activities. Transparency, accountability, and ethics must remain the pillars of policing,” he said.

The Chief Minister lauded the police for their advanced use of technology to combat emerging crimes such as cyber fraud, digital manipulation, and human trafficking. He said the state had established a Cyber Security Bureau led by a DGP-rank officer, which had become a model for the country through its inter-state operations against cybercriminals. He also praised the performance of the Elite Action Group for Drug Law Enforcement (EAGLE), formed to eradicate the drug menace, and reiterated his government’s resolve to make Telangana a drug-free state.

Revanth Reddy said that women IPS officers were heading key departments, including the police academy, prisons, SIB, ACB, CID, Vigilance, CCS, and the Cyber Security Bureau, while seven women officers were serving as DCPs in the tri-commissionerates of Hyderabad, Cyberabad, and Rachakonda. “The work of the police is like walking on the edge of a sword — every moment is a test, every day a challenge,” he said.

He added that the government had recruited over 16,000 constables and sub-inspectors in the last two years, ensured freedom from political interference, and enhanced ex gratia for senior officers up to Rs 2 crore. He said the government had also established the Young India Police School at Manchirevula in Rangareddy district to provide quality education to the children of police personnel and civilians.