Top Maoist Leader Ganesh Uike, Carrying Rs 1.1 Crore Bounty, Shot Dead In Odisha

Kandhamal: Top Maoist leader Ganesh Uike, who was carrying a bounty of Rs 1.1 crore on his head, was shot dead by a joint team of Odisha's Special Operations Group (SOG), Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and Border Security Force (BSF) on Thursday morning. Four other Maoists were also killed in the anti-Naxal operation, which was launched based on intelligence received from the Special Intelligence Wing.

The operation, which involved 23 teams (20 SOG, 2 CRPF, 1 BSF), was launched in the Chakapad police station area of ​​Kandhamal district and the Rambha forest range in the bordering areas of Ganjam district.

Several exchanges of fire took place during the operation, following which the bodies of Maoists, including two women, were recovered by security forces. Two INSAS rifles, a .303 rifle and walkie-talkie set were recovered from the killed Maoists.

Maoist leader Ganesh Uike, who was killed in the Rampa forest, has been identified as a Central Committee member and the head of the Naxalite organisation in Odisha. The identities of the remaining three Maoists are yet to be confirmed.

Earlier this month, as many as 18 Maoists were killed in an encounter in Chhattisgarh's Bhairamgarh area of Bijapur district. The slain Maoists included nine women cadres. Security forces recovered an LMG, AK-47 rifle, SLR, INSAS rifle, a .303 bore gun, a rocket launcher, grenades, radios, scanners, Maoist literature and a large quantity of explosive material from the encounter site.

Three security personnel were martyred and two personnel were injured in the encounter.

‘Will Eliminate Naxalism Before March 31, 2026’: Amit Shah

Union Home Minister Amit Shah in February 2025 had vowed to eliminate Nasalism from the country before March 31, 2026. In a post on X, the minister had said, “I reiterate this resolve once again that before March 31, 2026, we will eradicate Naxalism from the country root and branch, so that no citizen of the country has to lose their life because of it.”

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