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Business Standard
4 days ago
- Politics
- Business Standard
Naxal leader killed in Chattisgarh; second to be neutralised in 3 weeks
According to officials, Gautam was a senior Maoist leader responsible for various violent incidents that resulted in the deaths of numerous innocent tribal civilians and of security personnel ANI General News In a blow to naxalism in Chhattisgarh, the death of a top naxal leader and Central Committee Member (CCM), Sudhakar (alias Gautam), in Bijapur district marks the second such successful high profile anti-naxal operation by security forces in just over 3 weeks, Bastar's Inspector General P Sundarraj said. Gautam, the leader of the banned CPI (Maoist) organisation, was neutralised by security forces on June 5 during an operation in Bijapur's national forest area. Just 3 weeks ago, on May 21, security forces had recovered the body of a Central Committee Politburo member and CPI (Maoist) General Secretary Basava Raju in a massive operation in Abujmarh area in Narayanpur district, in which 26 other naxals were neutralised. Raju was known as the 'backbone of the Naxal movement,' a top leader in the organisation. "On May 21, after the recovery of the body of CPI (Maoist) leader, Central Committee Politburo member and CPI (Maoist) General Secretary Basava Raju in Abujhmarh forest, today on 5th June, security forces received a huge success in anti-naxal operation," Sundarraj told ANI here. The Bastar IG said an AK-47 rifle, along with arms, ammunition and various explosive materials, were recovered after the encounter. "In the Bijapur national park area, inputs regarding the presence of CPI (Maoist) senior Maoist cadres and PLG cadres were received. Based on that, the STF, DRG, and CoBRA joint teams were sent for operation. During the operation, exchange of fire between security forces and Naxals took place multiple times. After the exchange of fire, during the search, the body of a Maoist and an AK-47 weapon and a large amount of explosive materials and other arms and ammunition were recovered," the IG said. The encounter involved a joint operation by the Special Task Force (STF), District Reserve Guard (DRG), and Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (CoBRA). According to officials, Gautam was a senior Maoist leader responsible for various violent incidents that resulted in the deaths of numerous innocent tribal civilians and of security personnel. The death of Gautam marks a major success for the security forces and is a significant blow to the Maoist leadership, particularly in the Dandakaranya region. His neutralisation is expected to cause a considerable setback to the already weakening strength of the banned and outlawed Maoist organisation. 186 Maoist cadres have been killed in counter-insurgency operations across the Bastar Range in 2025 so far. During the period 2024-2025, more than 403 Maoist cadres have been neutralised and their bodies recovered in the Bastar Range following multiple encounters between Maoists and security forces, according to officials. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Indian Express
5 days ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
Major gun battle between Maoists, security forces underway at Chhattisgarh's Indravati National Park
A major encounter broke out on Thursday morning between security forces and Maoists at the Indravati National Park in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur district. The ongoing encounter started after a joint team of security forces undertook an operation based on specific intelligence about the presence of senior Maoist cadres in the area. This comes nearly a fortnight after Nambala Keshava Rao, alias Basava Raju, the general secretary of the banned Communist Party of India (Maoist), was gunned down in an encounter along with 27 others in the jungles of Abujhmad region in Narayanpur district on May 21. Indravati National Park has seen two other major encounters this year between Maoists and security forces. On February 9, two security forces personnel and 31 Maoists were killed in an encounter at the national park. Before that, on January 12, five Maoists, including two women, were killed in an encounter with security forces. Back in August 2023, sources in the security forces had told The Indian Express that Maoists were recruiting new cadres in the national park, Abujhmad, and the Kanker-Narayapur inter-district border near Maharashtra. The fresh recruits are also being trained in the national park, the sources had said, adding that they had been using drones to track security forces. Security forces have since been trying to free the national park area of Maoists. Also, they want to build a bridge over the Indravati river that would connect the two states and help boost economic activities. Union Home Minister Amit Shah has set a deadline of March 2026 to eradicate Left Wing Extremism (LWE) from India. The security forces this year till date have 202 Maoists, of which 185 were in Bastar region alone — Bijapur is a part of Bastar region. This year has also seen the death of 17 security personnel in attacks by Maoists.
India Gazette
23-05-2025
- Politics
- India Gazette
"Biggest blow to naxals": Chhattisgarh CM hails anti-naxal operation that killed top naxal leader Basava Raju
Narayanpur (Chhattisgarh) [India], May 23 (ANI): Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai on Friday hailed the killing of naxal leader Basava Raju and the successful elimination of 27 Naxals during an encounter in the forest area of Abujhmad in Narayanpur on 21st May and called the operation as the state's most significant success in fighting Naxalism. Speaking to ANI, CM Sai said, 'Our jawans are continuously fighting naxalism and being successful in their operations. This operation that took place in the Abujmarh area of Narayanpur has been the biggest one so far. Our jawans have been extremely successful. Our jawans neutralised the General Secretary of Maoists, Basava Raju, and it is a big blow to the Naxals.' The operation, led by security forces including the District Reserve Guard (DRG), resulted in the killing of naxal leader Basava Raju and the successful elimination of 27 Naxals during an encounter on Wednesday. The Chief Minister interacted with the jawans who participated in the mission and flagged off new motorcycles provided to DRG personnel to aid in future anti-Naxal campaigns in the region. 'Naxalism has broken its back, and now the resolve of the Honourable Prime Minister and the Honourable Home Minister is to eliminate Naxalism from the entire country by the 30th of March 2026. That path is getting closer,' he said. One of the jawans told ANI that the terrain in the Abujhmad region was extremely challenging, with steep hills, dense forests, and rivers making movement difficult. Despite these obstacles, the forces achieved what he called a landmark victory. 'Some women were playing a great role in DRG. They stood shoulder-to-shoulder with male jawans in rain and sunshine. I mean, they are more hardworking than we are,' Jawans told ANI. 'There was a wave of happiness among the jawans. They were able to feel what they had achieved. They didn't need any more motivation. They were already fully driven,' Jawans stated. Earlier in the day, CM Sai also paid tribute to CoBRA battalion's Mehul Solanki, who lost his life during the encounter on 21st May in Narayanpur. He laid a wreath and offered condolences to Solanki's family, acknowledging their ultimate sacrifice for the nation. CM Sai and Deputy Vijay Sharma, who is also the state's Home Minister, lend their shoulder to the mortal remains of CoBRA battalion personnel. Union Home Minister Amit Shah said that this is the first time in three decades of India's battle against Naxalism that the security forces have neutralised a General Secretary-ranked leader. Noting that Basavaraju was the backbone of the Naxal movement, Home Minister Shah said that 54 Naxalites have been arrested and that 84 Naxalites have surrendered in Chhattisgarh after the completion of Operation Black Forest. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also praised the efforts of India's security forces after 27 Maoists, including top CPI-Maoist leader Nambala Keshav Rao alias Basavaraju, were killed in a major operation in Chhattisgarh's Narayanpur district. In a post on X, Prime Minister Modi said, 'Proud of our forces for this remarkable success. Our Government is committed to eliminating the menace of Maoism and ensuring a life of peace and progress for our people.' (ANI)
Indian Express
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
4 Maoists killed, weapons seized following exchange of fire with Gadchiroli police, CRPF
Four Maoists were killed on the Maharashtra-Chhattisgarh border in a joint operation by the Gadchiroli police and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) on Friday. A few weapons and related paraphernalia were also seized. The operation, led by M Ramesh, Additional Superintendent of Police, Administration, and 12 C-60 parties (300 personnel) along with a component of the CRPF, was launched on Thursday afternoon from Kawande and Nelgunda towards the bank of Indravati amid heavy rain. C-60 is a special commando unit of the Maharashtra Police formed to deal with Maoists. The action came after credible intelligence was received about the presence of Maoist formations along the border, near the recently opened Forward Operating Base (FOB) in Kawande. On Friday morning, when the cordon was being laid and the river bank searched, Maoists started firing indiscriminately at the C-60 commandos, which led to effective retaliation by the forces. The intermittent exchange of fire continued for almost two hours. When the area was searched by the forces later, the bodies of four Maoists were recovered, besides one automatic self-loading rifle, two .303 rifles, and a Bharmar (locally made gun). Apart from this, walkie-talkies, camping material, Naxal literature, etc, were seized from the spot. The area is currently being searched and further operations are on to locate the remaining Maoist cadres in the region. The operation comes two days after 27 Maoists, including CPI (Maoist) general secretary Nambala Keshava Rao alias Basava Raju, were killed by security forces in an encounter in the Abujhmad area of Chhattisgarh's Narayanpur district. Basava Raju's death is believed to be a major blow to the Communist Party of India (Maoist), intelligence officials said, because he was the link between the northern and southern commands of the banned outfit. The developments come against the backdrop of a deadline of March 31, 2026, set by Union Home Minister Amit Shah to eradicate Left Wing Extremism in the country.
Indian Express
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
As Chhattisgarh CM says Naxal movement breathing its last, Home Minister tells leadership: ‘Ready for a discussion'
Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai said Thursday that the Maoist movement was 'breathing its last' in Bastar region while Home Minister Vijay Sharma appealed to the top leaders of the banned Communist Party of India (Maoist) leaders to join the mainstream, reiterating that the government was 'ready for a discussion'. The remarks came a day after 27 Maoists – including its 70-year-old general secretary Nambala Keshava Rao alias Basava Raju, the chief of the party – were killed in a major encounter in Abujhmad. Addressing a press conference in Raipur, Sai said Basava Raju had a cumulative bounty of Rs 3 crore — Rs 1 crore each from Chhattisgarh government and the Union Home Ministry, Rs 50 lakh from the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and Rs 25 lakh each from Andhra Pradesh and Odisha. 'In three decades, this is the first time that a general secretary-rank person has been killed. It's a huge success and a huge shock to the Naxal since it has broken their spine. With folded hands, I greet and appreciate the courage and bravery shown by our forces. We're proud of them,' the CM said. For years, the Maoist movement has made Chhattisgarh suffer, he said. 'The people of Bastar, including tribals, are being forced to live in an atmosphere of fear, violence and insecurity. The people there were deprived of basic facilities of health and education,' he said. 'The Naxals have now been squeezed to small pockets, and the movement is breathing its last.' Home Minister Vijay Sharma too spoke in the same vein. Without mentioning any names, he took a jibe at a group of people seeking a dialogue with the Maoists. He was referring to an umbrella group of several tribal rights organisations who have been urging the government to have a dialogue with the Maoists. 'I want to say this clearly… we will not have any discussions with those sitting in Hyderabad, who as individuals and as groups are giving instructions to the state and central governments on what to do. This is because they never shared the pain of Bastar people,' he said. 'But if the Maoist wants to talk, then according to the chief minister's directions, our government will have a discussion with them…there is no doubt about it.' The government 'does not want to fire a single bullet', he reiterated. The BJP government's actions have led to 'more surrenders and fewer arrests this year', he claimed. 'Honourable Amit Shah ji has requested Maoists to join the mainstream. I think the time is right…all big Naxal leaders must understand…the government is 100 percent sure of bringing them to the mainstream. Take your life forward, serve society, end violence, let Indravati be a peaceful place, remove the Improvised Explosive Devices that you've put on the path to development,' Sharma claimed. Additional Director General (Naxal operations) Vivekanand Sinha called the operation that led to Basava Raju's death a 'major success'. Security forces left for the operations on May 18, he said. He further said: 'In 1.5 years, we set up 15 police camps in Abujhmad. Now the security vacuum there has been brought down (from 5,000 sq km) to 3200 square km — mostly in the south and west of Orchha in Narayanpur. The forest here is so thick that even day looks like night. We are conducting operations here'. Significantly, these remarks come at a time when the state is making a massive anti-insurgency push in an attempt to meet the March 26 deadline set by Union Home Minister Amit Shah to root out Left-Wing Extremism. Meanwhile, police said that of the 27 Maoists killed in Wednesday's encounter, 15 were male and 12 females. Their bodies have been identified, Inspector General of Police for Bastar Range Sundarraj P said in a press note issued late Thursday. 'Automatic weapons like three AK 47, four Self Loading Rifle (SLR), six INSAS rifles, a carbine were recovered among other weapons,' he said, adding that a cumulative bounty on those killed was Rs 5.84 crore. According to the police, the major attacks planned under Basava Raju's leadership include looting Koraput armoury in 2004, where 1,000 advanced guns and another 1,000 weapons were looted and at least three people killed, the 2005 jail break at Jehanabad, Bihar, where Maoists freed 389 prisoners after storming the place, and the 2013 Maoist attack at Jhiram Ghati in Sukma in which where 32 people, including the state Congress leaders, were killed. Also attributed to him is the 2018 murder of Telugu Desam Party (TDP) MLA Kidari Sarveswara Rao in Andhra Pradesh.
