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NDTV
2 days ago
- NDTV
Key Maoist Leader Arrested In Odisha, AK-47 Rifle, Detonators Recovered From Him
Key Maoist leader Kunjam Hidma of the Communist Party of India (Maoist) was arrested in Odisha's Koraput, days after top Maoist leader Nambala Keshav Rao alias Basavaraju was killed, along with 26 others, in a Chhattisgarh encounter. He carried a Rs 4 lakh reward on his head. Hidma, an 'Area Committee Member', was responsible for organizing and implementing party activities within a specific geographic area. He has been linked to seven major violent incidents in the region. His capture is seen as a major success in the operations against Maoists in Odisha. Based on intelligence inputs regarding the movement of a group of banned CPI (Maoist) cadres in the forest area near village Petguda under Boipariguda Police Station, a special operation was launched by District Police using the District Voluntary Force (DVF), a special constabulary unit of the Odisha Police, on Wednesday night. In the early hours of Thursday, the special police team noticed a group of Maoists camping around a hill. As the team moved to surround it, the Maoists opened fire at the DVF team and fled into the jungle. The team said it exercised controlled fire in self-defence. During the subsequent search, one Maoist cadre was arrested while attempting to hide in the nearby bushes and others managed to flee. "Last night we got some information that some Maoists from Chhattisgarh were trying to enter Koraput by crossing from the Andhra side. We planned an operation after that and according to the District Police plan the DVF went and conducted the operation," Koraput Superintendent of Police Rohit Varma told reporters. "They saw us and fired on the police but no one was hit. We have arrested one person. We have found weapons (AK47) and live rounds," Varma added. The following items were seized from him: AK-47 Rifle 1 Ammunition 35 rounds Electric Detonators 27 Non-Electric Detonators Gun Powder Approx 2 Kg Steel Containers 2 Radios 2 Earphone 1 Motorola Walkie-Talkie 01 Spare Battery (for Walkie[1]Talkie) 01 Knives 2 Katuri (small axe/machete) 01 Torch Lights 4 Black Polythene 1 Maoist Literature and Misc Items Several articles During police interrogation, the Maoist revealed that he joined the organization in 2007 at the age of 14. He was inducted into Bal Sangham and Jana Natya Mandali (JNM), the cultural wing of the Maoists. From 2007 to 2013, he remained associated with Bal Sangham and JNM. Between 2013 and 2015, he worked as a party member under the Usur Local Organization Squad (LOS) and received military training, during which he was issued a single-shot rifle. In 2016, he started operating around the Andhra Odisha Border. In 2019, he was promoted to the rank of ACM (Area Committee Member) and provided with an SLR rifle. He served in a military platoon under Suresh in Special Zonal Committee Member (SZCM), operating in the Boipariguda area of Koraput district, the cut-off area of Malkangiri district (Odisha), and the Pedabailu region of ASR district (Andhra Pradesh). During 2021-2022, he was assigned to Andhra Odisha Border Platoon Section-01, operating in the Pamed area of Bijapur district in Chhattisgarh. In 2023, he was transferred to Platoon-24 in the Kerlapal area under Sukma district, and in 2024, temporarily moved to Platoon-26, operating in the Malengiri area of Sukma. He returned to the Andhra Odisha Border unit in May 2025. He is also involved in many other anti-government and anti national activities in Odisha, Andhra Pradesh and Chhattisgarh areas, which will be further verified during the course of investigation, said the police.
New Indian Express
4 days ago
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Cops step up vigil on Maoists; Naxal statement says surrendered cadres aided in May 21 gunfight
RAIPUR: Police and intelligence agencies have been keeping a close watch on activities of Maoist cadres and their overground supporters following the last week's killing of their top leader Basavaraju in an encounter in Chhattisgarh's Bastar region, officials said on Monday. In a statement attributed to Maoists and shared nearly a week after the encounter, the Naxals have admitted that a total of 28 cadres, including Basavaraju, were killed in the gun-battle. In one of the biggest strikes on Naxalites, security forces gunned down Nambala Keshav Rao alias Basavaraju, general secretary of the banned Communist Party of India (Maoist), and 26 other cadres during a fierce encounter in forests of Abhujmad along Bijapur-Narayanpur inter-district border on May 21. Two jawans of the District Reserve Guard (DRG) of state police were also killed during the gunfight. In the statement dated May 25, shared on social media on Monday, Maoists claimed some cadres active in the unit of Basavaraju recently surrendered before police and helped security forces in the operation, resulting in the death of the septuagenarian Naxal leader. The three-page statement was issued in the name of Vikalp, a spokesperson of the Dandakaranya Special Zonal Committee (DKSZC), which had been instrumental in executing several deadly attacks on security forces in south Bastar.
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Business Standard
5 days ago
- Politics
- Business Standard
Cops step up vigil after Naxals say May 21 gunfight aided by ex-cadres
Police and intelligence agencies have been keeping a close watch on activities of Maoist cadres and their overground supporters following the last week's killing of their top leader Basavaraju in an encounter in Chhattisgarh's Bastar region, officials said on Monday. In a statement attributed to Maoists and shared nearly a week after the encounter, the Naxals have admitted that a total of 28 cadres, including Basavaraju, were killed in the gun-battle. In one of the biggest strikes on Naxalites, security forces gunned down Nambala Keshav Rao alias Basavaraju, general secretary of the banned Communist Party of India (Maoist), and 26 other cadres during a fierce encounter in forests of Abhujmad along Bijapur-Narayanpur inter-district border on May 21. Two jawans of the District Reserve Guard (DRG) of state police were also killed during the gunfight. In the statement dated May 25, shared on social media on Monday, Maoists claimed some cadres active in the unit of Basavaraju recently surrendered before police and helped security forces in the operation, resulting in the death of the septuagenarian Naxal leader. The three-page statement was issued in the name of Vikalp, a spokesperson of the Dandakaranya Special Zonal Committee (DKSZC), which had been instrumental in executing several deadly attacks on security forces in south Bastar. The Maoists, in the statement said, there were 35 cadres, including Basavaraju, who were engaged in the encounter with security personnel on May 21 and of them, 28 were killed while seven others managed to escape. Police had recovered the bodies of 27 Naxalites. The body of a cadre, Nilesh, was found by Maoists, the statement said. "The police intelligence was already aware of the presence of the party's (CPI-Maoist) general secretary BR Dada in Abhujmad. In the last 6 months, some people from different units active in the Maad area surrendered before police and became traitors. Police kept receiving our confidential information from these surrendered cadres. Two major operations were conducted (by security forces) in January and March targeting Basavaraju, but they were not successful," it said. After these operations, in the last one-and-a-half months, six people from the unit belonging to Basavaraju surrendered before police. A company party committee member (CYPCM), who was charged with key responsibility in Basavaraju's security, was also among them, said the statement. A member of the unified command of Maoists, which guides Naxal activities in Abhujmad, also sided with police which made their task easier. All these surrendered cadres took part in the (anti-Naxal) operation. Because of them, we had to suffer such a big loss, it said. Maoists admitted they failed to protect their leader. A senior police official said the CPI (Maoist), in the statement, has admitted to the loss of 28 cadres, including Basavaraju, "Through the statement, the illegal and banned Maoist outfit was also trying to instigate their supporters to organise rallies and meetings throughout the country to glorify the death of their cruel and dreadful leadership, which was responsible for the death of thousands and thousands of innocent citizens, tribals, women, children and security personnel. "Police and intelligence agencies have been keeping a strict vigil on activities of underground Maoist cadres as well as their overground workers and supporters," Inspector General of Police (Bastar Range) Sundarraj P noted. Three AK-47 rifles, four Self Loading Rifle (SLR), six Insas rifles, one carbine, six .303 rifles, one Barrel Grenade Launcher (BGL), two rocket launchers, two 12 bore guns, one country made pistol, two muzzle loading guns and a huge cache of explosives were recovered from the encounter site in forests of Kudmel-Kalhaja-Jatlur villages, he said. "The recovered arms included an AK-47 weapon looted by Basavaraju and his associates from security forces in April 2010 Tadmetla ambush in then Dantewada district (where 76 security personnel were killed) and those looted by Naxals after 2010 Gawadi (Narayanpur district) and 2017 Burkapal (Sukma district) attacks," the IPS officer said. Efforts were on to establish the origin of other weapons, he added. Basavaraju was one of the most wanted criminals in the country and so far records of more than 258 criminal cases, in which he had direct or indirect involvement, are being screened by the investigation team, Sundarraj said. Further lawful action and investigation procedure is being carried out by Narayanapur Police in the case, the IG said.
Time of India
5 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Authorities perform last rites of Basavaraju, 7 other Naxalites killed in Chhattisgarh encounter
Authorities in Narayanpur performed the last rites for top Maoist leader Nambala Keshav Rao, alias Basavaraju, and seven other Naxalites killed in a recent encounter in Chhattisgarh. While 20 bodies were handed over to families, some kin requested cremation due to decomposition fears. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads The last rites of top Maoist leader Nambala Keshav Rao , alias Basavaraju, and seven other cadres killed in an encounter in Chhattisgarh last week were performed by the authorities on Monday, officials said. The last rites were conducted in one of the biggest strikes on Naxalites, security forces gunned down Basavaraju, the general secretary of the Communist Party of India (Maoist), and 26 other cadres, during an encounter in the forest of Abhujmad along the Bijapur-Narayanpur inter-district border on May jawans of the District Reserve Guard (DRG) of the state police were also killed during the the 27 killed Naxalites, the bodies of 20 cadres were handed over to their respective families after verifying their claims, a police statement the kin of Naxalite Kosi, alias Hungi, requested the local authorities to facilitate the cremation of his body in Narayanpur, the district headquarters, citing fear of the spread of communicable diseases as it had decomposed, it the presence of the authorities and several policemen, Kosi's family members performed his last were no clear legal claimants for the remaining seven bodies of Naxalites, including that of Basavaraju, it bodies were cremated in Narayanpur as per the legal procedure, the statement the police of not handing over Basavaraju's body to them, his family had approached the Andhra Pradesh High Court , seeking a direction to the Chhattisgarh and AP governments to give them the body for performing the last kin of another slain Naxalite had also approached the AP high court with a similar Andhra Pradesh HC on May 24 disposed of the two writ petitions, saying the petitioners were open to approach the police authorities of Chhattisgarh to seek custody of the bodies of the Chhattisgarh Advocate General had informed the HC that after completion of the post-mortem, the bodies would be handed over to the respective relatives as per legal procedure.
Time of India
5 days ago
- Time of India
13 years later AK-47 looted by Maoist Basavaraju in Tadmetla ambush, recovered in Abujhmarh encounter
Raipur: Days after successfully neutralizing Nambala Keshav Rao alias Basavaraju, the General Secretary of CPI (Maoist) and one of India's most wanted militants, during a massive encounter in the Kudmel-Kalhaja-Jatloor forest region of Abujhmarh in Chhattisgarh on May 21, top police officials confirmed that the Dsitrict Reserve Guards have recovered back the AK 47 weapon looted by Basavaraju and associates from security forces during April 2010 Tadmetla ambush in Dantewada District. DRG jawans had recovered several weapons from the site of encounter after the operation was over and an AK-47 rifle was identified as the one taken by Basavaraju and his associates during the Tadmetla ambush, a notorious attack that had claimed lives of 76 CRPF personnel. Besides, there were weapons looted by Maoists in Burkapal and Gawdi massacre too, which were recovered back, police said in a statement. In this decisive operation by the DRG, a total of 27 Maoists were killed, including Basavaraju, who carried a bounty of Rs 1 crore announced by the Government of Chhattisgarh. Additional rewards had been declared by other LWE-affected states and central agencies. Among the deceased were two Maoists from Andhra Pradesh and three from Telangana, and the total bounty on all 27 neutralized cadres summed up to Rs 3.33 crore. Of the 27 Maoist bodies recovered, 20 bodies were identified and handed over to their families. One such family, relatives of Kosi alias Hungi, requested local authorities in Narayanpur to conduct the cremation at the district headquarters itself, citing concerns over decomposition and health hazards. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Kickstart your new journey with the Honda Shine 125 Honda Learn More Undo Seven bodies, including that of Basavaraju, remained unclaimed. As per legal protocol, these were cremated in Narayanpur with approval from the executive magistrate. Investigators describe him as the architect of countless brutal attacks that left thousands of innocent tribals and hundreds of security personnel dead. He also played a central role in the forced recruitment of tribal youth, separating them from their families and radicalizing them into the Maoist ranks. Police have begun sifting through 258 criminal cases believed to be directly or indirectly linked to Basavaraju. Narayanpur police are continuing further legal procedures and investigative work. The CPI (Maoist) has since issued a press note admitting the loss of 28 cadres, including Basavaraju. The outfit is allegedly attempting to mobilize supporters across the country to organize events glorifying the slain militants. Authorities are closely monitoring underground Maoist cells and their urban sympathizers to pre-empt any attempts to incite unrest, police said. Long-Lost Weapons Recovered AK-47 rifles – 3 SLRs – 4 INSAS rifles – 6 .303 rifles – 6 Carbine – 1 12 Bore guns – 3 Country-made pistol – 1 BGL launcher – 1 Rocket launchers (Surka) – 2 Bharmaar – 2 Among these were weapons looted by Maoists in earlier ambushes: April 2010 Tadmetla Attack (Dantewada District) 2010 Gawadi Ambush (Narayanpur District) 2017 Burkapal Massacre (Sukma District)
