CPI (Maoist) Gen Secy, 26 other Naxals killed in gunbattle in Chhattisgarh

Narayanpur: CPI (Maoist) General Secretary Nambala Keshav Rao, who goes by the alias Basavaraju, was killed along with 26 other Naxals in a gunbattle with security personnel in Chhattisgarh's Bastar region on Wednesday, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said.

Shah, who described Rao as the "topmost" leader and "backbone of the naxal movement", said this is the "first time in three decades" of India's battle against Naxalism that a general secretary-ranked leader has been neutralised by our forces and applauded the "brave security forces and agencies for this major breakthrough".

"A landmark achievement in the battle to eliminate naxalism. Today, in an operation in Narayanpur in Chhattisgarh, our security forces have neutralised 27 dreaded Maoists, including Nambala Keshav Rao, alias Basavaraju...Also glad to share that after completion of Operation Black Forest, 54 Naxalites have been arrested and 84 Naxalites have surrendered in Chhattisgarh, Telangana, and Maharashtra," he posted on 'X'.

One of the security personnel was also killed in the incident, while some others who were injured in the incident have been shifted to a hospital and their condition is said to be out of danger.

The Modi government is resolved to eliminate Naxalism before 31 March, 2026, Shah said. Rao is said to be in his late 60s or early 70s.

Officials said the operation involved personnel from the District Reserve Guard (DRG) from Narayanpur, Dantewada, Bijapur, and Kondagaon. It was launched two days ago based on intelligence inputs about the presence of Central Committee and Politburo members of the Maoists, as well as senior Maad Division cadres and PLGA (Peoples' Liberation Guerilla Army) members, PTI quoted officials as saying.

With the latest action, PTI reported, 200 Maoists have been killed in separate encounters in Chhattisgarh so far this year. Of them, 183 were killed in the Bastar division, which includes districts of Bijapur, Narayanpur, Dantewada and Kondagaon.