In major breakthrough, security forces neutralise top Maoist leader Ganesh Uike

Top Maoist leader Ganesh Uike was among six Maoists killed in separate gunfights with security forces in Odisharsquos Kandhamal District police said on Thursday terming the operation a major success against Leftwing extremism in the stateUnion Home Minister Amit Shah described the development as a ldquomajor breakthroughrdquo while Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi called it a ldquoremarkable successrdquo in the campaign to make India free of Naxalism news agency PTI reportedCommunist Party of India Maoist central committee member Uike who carried a bounty of Rs 11 crore was the chief of the banned outfit in Odisha said Sanjeeb Panda an additional director general ADG of police heading antiNaxal operations in the stateAccording to Panda two Maoists from Chhattisgarh were killed in an exchange of fire with security forces in the Gumma Forest in the Belghar Police Station area on Wednesday night Fresh gunfights erupted on Thursday morning in a forest under the Chakapad Police Station area during which four more Maoists including Uike were killed PTI reportedldquoFour Maoists were killed in the gunfight One of them was identified as 69yearold Ganesh Uike also known by his aliases Pakka Hanumantu Rajesh Tiwari Chamru and Rupa He was a native of Pullemala village under Chendur mandal in Telanganarsquos Nalgonda districtrdquo Panda saidThe identities of the other three Maoists killed on Thursday including two women are yet to be ascertained he addedIn a post on X Shah said ldquoIn a major operation in Kandhamal Odisha six Naxalites including central committee member Ganesh Uike have been neutralised so far With this major breakthrough Odisha stands at the threshold of becoming completely free from Naxalism We are resolved to eliminate Naxalism before March 31 2026rdquoMajhi who also holds the home portfolio congratulated the police personnel for their courage professionalism and coordinationldquoToday Odisha has achieved a remarkable success in the campaign to build a Naxalfree Indiardquo he said adding that peace development and public safety remained the governmentrsquos top prioritiesAddressing a press conference Director General of Police DGP YB Khurania said ldquoWhile two Maoists were gunned down on Wednesday four others including Ganesh Uike were neutralised this morning The killing of a central committee member is a big success for Odisha Police and has broken the backbone of Maoists in the staterdquoDGP calls it one of Odisharsquos biggest antiMaoist operations in recent yearsHe added that operations were continuing along the KandhamalndashGanjam interdistrict boundary and described the exercise as one of the biggest antiMaoist operations in Odisha in recent years There were no reports of casualties on the security forcesrsquo side stated KhuranialdquoThis is the first time in recent years that a Maoist of central committee rank has been killed by security forces in Odishardquo the DGP saidBased on intelligence inputs a joint operation involving 23 teams mdash 20 from the special operations group of Odisha Police two from the Central Reserve Police Force CRPF and one from the Border Security Force BSF mdash was launched in the Chakapad Police Station area of Kandhamal and the adjoining Rambha Forest Range in Ganjam District he saidldquoMultiple gunfights took place in different areas on Thursday Later four bodies of Maoists mdash two men and two women mdash were recovered Two INSAS rifles and a 303 rifle were also seizedrdquo Khurania addedThe two Maoists killed on Wednesday night were identified as CPI Maoist area committee member Bari alias Rakesh and dalam member Amrit both from Chhattisgarh a senior police officer saidThey carried a combined bounty of Rs 2365 lakh PTI reportedThe gunfights followed the surrender of 22 Maoists before the DGP in neighbouring Malkangiri District on Tuesday Khurania once again appealed to remaining Maoists to lay down arms and return to the mainstreamldquoOdisharsquos surrender and rehabilitation policy is among the best in the country Surrendered Maoists are provided benefits including financial assistance housing ration cards support for selfemployment and skill trainingrdquo he saidWith PTI inputs