A top Maoist leader, Nambala Keshavrao, also known as Basavaraju, has reportedly been killed in an encounter with security forces in Chhattisgarh’s Narayanpur district, according to sources. Basavaraju was one of the most wanted Maoist leaders and carried a bounty of ₹1.5 crore on his head.
The encounter, which has lasted for about 50 hours, took place near the Narayanpur-Bijapur border, in a forest area called Abujhmad. It began when security forces launched an operation after getting intelligence reports about the presence of top Maoist leaders in the area.
Teams from the District Reserve Guard (DRG) from four districts – Narayanpur, Dantewada, Bijapur, and Kondagaon – were part of the mission. So far, 26 Maoists have been killed, and officials believe that Basavaraju is among them.
Basavaraju earlier led the Central Military Commission of the Maoists and later became the General Secretary, which is the highest post in the Maoist organization. His death is considered a major setback to Maoist activities in the region.
Another top Maoist leader, Madhu, who was with the Dandakaranya Special Zonal Committee, has also been reportedly killed.
Chhattisgarh’s Deputy Chief Minister Arun Sao praised the success of the operation. He said that the state aims to become Maoist-free by March 2026. He also appreciated the efforts of the security forces, who carried out the operation despite the high temperatures of 40-42°C. “The people of Bastar want peace and development,” he said.
This encounter happened just a month after a large anti-Maoist mission called ‘Operation Black Forest’ near the Chhattisgarh-Telangana border. During that 21-day operation, forces killed 31 Maoists, destroyed over 200 hideouts and bunkers, and recovered explosives and 12,000 kg of food supplies.
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Earlier this week, 24 Maoists, including 14 with bounties totaling ₹28.5 lakh, surrendered in Bijapur district.
These back-to-back successes are seen as big steps toward reducing Maoist activity in Chhattisgarh.
