Topmost Naxal leader Basavaraju among 27 Maoists killed in Chhattisgarh encounter
NEW DELHI: In what is being termed as a landmark development in India’s long war against Naxalism, Union Home Minister Amit Shah announced on Wednesday that 27 Maoists, including Nambala Keshav Rao alias Basavaraju, the CPI-Maoist general secretary, have been neutralised by security forces in a significant anti-Naxal operation in Narayanpur district of Chhattisgarh.
Basavaraju, India’s most wanted Maoist leader, was the highest-ranking figure in the proscribed CPI-Maoist outfit and the ideological and strategic pillar of the Naxal movement. His assassination represents the first time in more than 30 years that a general secretary-grade Maoist commander has been killed in action, representing a huge symbolic as well as operational win for the security apparatus.
Hailing from Andhra Pradesh, Basavaraju was considered the top leader and ideological backbone of the Naxal movement. His death marks a pivotal success in anti-Naxal operations.
In his early 70s, Basavaraju held a BTech degree and was known for orchestrating numerous deadly attacks on security forces. He carried a bounty of Rs 1 crore on his head in Chhattisgarh alone.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi lauded the security forces for their “remarkable success,” while Union Home Minister Amit Shah called it a “landmark achievement” in the campaign to eradicate Naxalism.
The encounter began on Wednesday, two days after the launch of a coordinated anti-Maoist operation in the dense forests of Abhujmad—located at the tri-junction of Narayanpur, Bijapur, and Dantewada districts. The operation was initiated based on intelligence inputs about the presence of top leaders from the CPI (Maoist) Central Committee, Politburo, and senior cadres of the Maad Division and the People’s Liberation Guerrilla Army (PLGA).
Security forces recovered 27 bodies and a significant cache of arms from the site. One jawan from the District Reserve Guard (DRG), part of the Chhattisgarh Police, was martyred in the operation, while a few others were injured.
Reacting to the development, the Prime Minister wrote on social media: “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.”
Declaring the success on social media site X, Amit Shah posted, “Landmark success in the fight against Naxalism. Today, in an operation at Narayanpur, Chhattisgarh, our security forces neutralized 27 feared Maoists, including Nambala Keshav Rao, alias Basavaraju… the backbone of the Naxal movement.” He also praised the courage and coordination of India’s security forces and intelligence agencies who carried out the mission.
Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai also praised the forces.
“Jari hai vijay ka sankhnad, khatm ho raha naxalwad’ (the victory cry continues, Naxalism is ending). Under the leadership of the successful Prime Minister Narendra Modi, security forces have been moving ahead rapidly to fulfil the resolve of Home Minister Amit Shah to end Naxalism in the country by March 2026, and continuously achieving success,” he said.
The operation is a part of an overall campaign — Operation Black Forest— that has achieved remarkable results in the last few weeks. The Home Minister informed that in total, 54 Naxalites have been arrested and 84 have surrendered in Chhattisgarh, Telangana, and Maharashtra. Shah reaffirmed the Modi government’s promise to eradicate Naxalism totally by March 31, 2026, a target announced earlier as a part of the national internal security strategy.
Basavaraju, a native of Srikakulam district in Andhra Pradesh, had been a key figure in the Naxal movement since the 1970s.
He rose to the top leadership of CPI (Maoist) about seven years ago, around the time of a noticeable decline in Naxalite activity in Bastar. He was wanted in numerous major attacks against security forces in Chhattisgarh.
An alumnus of the country’s one of premier technical institutes, the Regional Engineering College, Warangal, Basavaraju was known for his military expertise, particularly in training and explosives. He was recognised by various aliases, including Prakash, Krishna, Vijay, Umesh, and Kamlu.
Security agencies have speculated Basavaraju’s age to be around 71, with only older photographs available for identification.
With this latest operation, a total of 200 Naxalites have been killed in separate encounters in Chhattisgarh this year, with 183 of those fatalities occurring in the Bastar division encompassing Bijapur, Narayanpur, Dantewada, and Kondagaon.
