As many as 170 Maoists have surrendered in Chhattisgarh on Thursday, with sources saying that key leaders, including the man known as the “bombmaker”, were among them.

They are set to formally surrender before Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishu Deo Sai on Friday, the sources said.

Takkalappalli Vasudeva Rao, alias Rupesh, 59, who is known as the Maoists’ bombmaker, was last known to have been operating from the Abujhmad area of Chhattisgarh. Along with him, the surrendered rebels included Dandakaranya Special Zonal Committee’s (DKZC) Maad division in-charge, Ranita.

Rupesh, who is from Mugulu in Telangana, is believed to have orchestrated the attack on Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on December 2, 2000. He also believed to have been involved in the killings of then A

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