Top Maoist With ₹1.5 Cr Bounty Killed in Chhattisgarh

Top Maoist: Sources reported that police forces killed 26 Maoists in an ongoing clash in Chhattisgarh’s Narayanpur region, including top CPI (Maoist) commander Nambala Keshavrao, also known as Basavaraju. The encounter along the Narayanpur-Bijapur border has continued for nearly 50 hours.

What Happened:

The clash began when jawans from the District Reserve Guard (DRG) of Narayanpur, Dantewada, Bijapur, and Kondagaon launched an operation in the Abujhmad region, acting on intelligence reports about the presence of senior Maoist cadres from the Maad division.

Basavaraju, who previously chaired the Central Military Commission, later assumed leadership of the Maoist organization as its General Secretary. The National Investigation Agency (NIA), along with the police departments of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, had placed a ₹1.5 crore bounty on him.

Officials stated that his death marks a major blow to the Maoist insurgency in the region, potentially disrupting leadership and regrouping efforts. Authorities confirmed that Madhu, head of the Dandakaranya Special Zonal Committee, was also killed in the encounter.

CM Confirms the Operation Success:

Chhattisgarh Deputy Chief Minister Arun Sao confirmed the success of the recent anti-Maoist operation and reaffirmed the state’s goal to eliminate Maoist presence by March 2026. He praised Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Chhattisgarh Home Minister Vijay Sharma, and the security forces for conducting operations in extreme heat, with temperatures ranging from 40 to 42°C. ‘The people of Bastar want peace and progress,’ he emphasized.

This encounter comes just a month after security forces launched ‘Operation Black Forest’ to target Maoist activity along the Chhattisgarh-Telangana border near Karreguttalu Hill (KGH).

Also Read: Huge operation in Chhattisgarh: 20,000 forces for 1000 Naxals

During a 21-day operation, the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and state police killed 31 Maoists, earning ₹1.72 crore in rewards. Security forces also destroyed 214 Maoist bunkers and hideouts, and seized over 12,000 kg of food supplies, BGL shells, detonators, and explosive materials.

Earlier this week, 24 Maoists surrendered in Bijapur district—14 of them carried a combined bounty of ₹28.50 lakh.