Top CPI (Maoist) leader and General Secretary Nambala Keshavrao, also known as Basavaraj, has reportedly been killed in an encounter with security forces in Chhattisgarh.
The encounter took place near Maad, a Maoist stronghold between Narayanpur and Bijapur districts, according to intelligence sources.
Security forces, including COBRA commandos and Chhattisgarh police, neutralised the Company-7 (coy7) unit of the Maoists. Reports indicate that over 26 Maoists were killed in the operation, including top leaders Basavaraj, Madhu (of the Dandakaranya Special Zonal Committee), and Naveen, associated with the Maoist publication Jung.
Basavaraj, who was elevated from Chief of the Military Commission (CMC) to General Secretary of CPI (Maoist), played a crucial role in the Maoist movement. His reported death is seen as a major setback for the organisation, as intelligence sources speculate it could seriously weaken their ability to regroup.
The operation was part of Operation Kagar, described as the final phase of anti-Maoist offensives following previous battles in Karreguttalu Hills and Abujhmad. With central paramilitary forces refocusing after Operation Sindoor, combing operations have intensified across the region.
Basavaraj, originally from Vizianagaram district, joined the Maoist movement during his student days in Warangal, where he was associated with the Radical Students Union (RSU). He was also wanted by the NIA and police forces in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.
As security forces continue their operations, analysts predict significant shifts within the CPI (Maoist) hierarchy in the wake of Basavaraj’s reported elimination.
