HYDERABAD: Informing that as many as 591 Maoists have surrendered in the state over the past two years and joined the mainstream, Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy on Wednesday urged the Union government to allocate more IPS officers to the state and raise the sanctioned strength to 103 from the 83 at present.
In the backdrop of the recent surrender of top Maoists before the Telangana police, the chief minister met Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Delhi.
Highlighting the breakthrough in the fight against Left-Wing Extremism (LWE) during the meeting, the chief minister explained to Shah the operations carried out by the Telangana police and the strategy adopted.
According to a release from the CMO, the Union home minister appreciated the Telangana government for encouraging Maoists to join the mainstream and for cooperating in Operation Kagar. Shah also asked the state to continue extending cooperation until Operation Kagar ends.
Sources said that the chief minister also conveyed to the Union home minister the matters raised by the surrendered Maoists with him, including granting permission for them to set up a political entity.
The chief minister briefed Shah on the state government’s rehabilitation measures and support systems being extended to surrendered cadres to ensure their smooth reintegration into society.
Revanth also requested Shah to increase the allocation of IPS officers to Telangana in line with the state’s growing requirements. He pointed out that after the bifurcation of the state, the first cadre review was conducted in 2016. The subsequent review, which was due in 2021, was significantly delayed and eventually conducted in 2025, he said, adding that even during that review, only seven IPS officers were allotted to Telangana.
CM asks Shah to enhance TG IPS cadre strength
The chief minister informed Shah that Telangana, like the rest of the country, is facing several modern challenges, including cybercrime, drug-related offences and white-collar crimes.
He said that the reorganisation of the Hyderabad, Cyberabad and Malkajgiri Commissionerates, the establishment of a Future City Commissionerate and the rapidly growing population in Hyderabad have increased the demand for senior police officers.
The chief minister requested that the third cadre review be conducted as scheduled in 2026 without further delay.
Revanth also noted that Telangana currently has 83 IPS officers and appealed to the Union government to increase the sanctioned strength to 103 officers to effectively meet law enforcement and administrative needs.
V Sheshadri, the principal secretary to the chief minister, DGP B Shivadhar Reddy, Intelligence Additional DGP Vijay Kumar and SIB IGP B Sumathi were present at the meeting.