India’s Home Affairs Minister Amit Shah announced Wednesday that Indian commandos have killed Nambala Keshav Rao, alias Basavaraju, the general secretary of the banned Communist Party of India-Maoist group, along with 26 other rebels in the central state of Chhattisgarh.
Shah hailed the operation as a “decisive blow” in the decades-long conflict, marking the first time in three decades that a leader of this rank has been neutralised.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his pride in the forces, reaffirming his government’s commitment to “eliminating the menace of Maoism.”
The Naxalite rebellion, which began nearly six decades ago, has claimed over 12,000 lives, including rebels, soldiers, and civilians.
At its peak in the mid-2000s, the insurgency controlled a significant portion of the country with an estimated 15,000 to 20,000 fighters.
The latest firefight erupted deep inside a forest in Chhattisgarh’s Narayanpur district, a known Maoist stronghold, following intelligence reports of top leaders’ presence.
A police commando also died in the fierce gun battle. Shah reported that wider operations have led to 54 arrests and 84 surrenders in Chhattisgarh, Telangana, and Maharashtra.
This success comes amidst an ongoing all-out offensive in a region known as the “Red Corridor,” where government data indicates over 400 rebels have been killed since early 2024.
Despite recent successes, the conflict continues, with Maoists earlier offering dialogue if security forces withdrew and halted their offensive.
Shah, however, reiterated the government’s vow to crush the rebels by March 31 next year.
