CHHATTISGARH, MAY 21 : At least 27 Naxalites were gunned down during a fierce encounter with security forces along the Narayanpur-Bijapur border in Chhattisgarh on Wednesday, in what Union Home Minister Amit Shah described as a landmark victory in India’s decades-long fight against Naxalism.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Among those killed was Nambala Keshav Rao, alias Basavaraju, the general secretary of the CPI-Maoist and the topmost leader of the Naxal movement. Announcing the development on X, Shah said this was the first time in over 30 years that a general secretary-ranked Maoist leader had been neutralised by security forces.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The operation also claimed the life of a District Reserve Guard (DRG) personnel, while several others were injured, reported PTI.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The encounter occurred in the dense forested region of Abhujmad, a well-known Naxalite stronghold that lies at the tri-junction of Narayanpur, Bijapur, and Dantewada districts. The gunfight erupted after Maoists ambushed joint teams of DRG personnel from Narayanpur, Bijapur, Dantewada, and Kanker districts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Acting on intelligence inputs regarding the presence of senior Maoist cadres from the outfit\u2019s \u2018Mad\u2019 division, security forces launched a large-scale combing operation deep inside Abhujmad two days ago. As forces approached the Maoist hideout, the rebels opened indiscriminate fire. In the retaliatory exchange, more than two dozen Maoists were killed, a senior police officer told PTI. A cache of weapons and other materials was also recovered from the site.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Home Minister Shah lauded the bravery of the forces, calling the development a \u201cmajor breakthrough.\u201d He added that with the completion of Operation Black Forest, a total of 54 Naxals have been arrested and 84 others have surrendered in Chhattisgarh, Telangana, and Maharashtra.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe Modi government is resolved to eliminate Naxalism before the 31st of March 2026,\u201d Shah said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed the encounter, calling it a significant achievement by the security forces.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Reacting to the development on X, the Prime Minister wrote, \u201cProud of our forces for this remarkable success. Our government is committed to eliminating the menace of Maoism and ensuring a life of peace and progress for our people.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Basavaraju, believed to be in his late 60s, was regarded as the ideological and operational backbone of the CPI-Maoist. Wednesday\u2019s operation was part of a continuing offensive involving multiple DRG teams from Narayanpur, Dantewada, Bijapur, and Kondagaon districts, targeting key central committee and politburo members of the Maoist outfit, as well as PLGA (People\u2019s Liberation Guerrilla Army) operatives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The gunfight broke out in the dense forested Abhujmad region following a large-scale anti-Naxal operation launched by the state police, officials said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
How Maoist-affected Dantewada emerged as best performer in Class 10 boards in Chhattisgarh<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Communist Party of India (CPI) demanded an independent judicial inquiry into the killing of 27 Maoists.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Taking to X, CPI general secretary D Raja criticised Union Home Minister Amit Shah\u2019s announcement of the operation\u2019s success, questioning the circumstances surrounding the encounter. Shah had hailed the killing of Basavaraju as a landmark moment in India\u2019s decades-long fight against Naxalism, calling him the \u201cbackbone of the Naxal movement.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Raja, however, alleged the killing of Basavaraju, \u201cinstead of lawfully arresting him,\u201d raised serious concerns about the State\u2019s adherence to democratic norms and constitutional procedures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe CPI strongly condemns the cold-blooded killing of the senior Maoist leader along with several Adivasis in Chhattisgarh,\u201d Raja said. \u201cIt is yet another instance of extrajudicial action carried out under the guise of counterinsurgency operations.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He questioned why, if authorities had credible intelligence about Basavaraju\u2019s location, a legal arrest was not pursued. \u201cWhy was due process guaranteed by the Constitution so blatantly ignored?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Calling for a judicial probe into both the encounter and the larger anti-Naxal operation, dubbed Operation Kagar, the CPI said the people of Chhattisgarh and India \u201cdeserve to know the truth.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cA democratic society cannot allow the State to become the judge, jury, and executioner,\u201d Raja said, urging all \u201cdemocratic and progressive forces\u201d to speak out against the incident.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
-PTI<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
CHHATTISGARH, MAY 21 : At least 27 Naxalites were gunned down during a fierce encounter with security forces along the Narayanpur-Bijapur border in Chhattisgarh on Wednesday, in what Union Home<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":120749,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[348],"tags":[27091,26540],"class_list":["post-137444","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-national-news","tag-27-naxalites-killed-in-encounter-with-security-forces-in-chhattisgarh-top-leader-basavaraju-among-them","tag-chhattisgada"],"yoast_head":"\n