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New Delhi: A top Maoist leader was among four Naxals who were gunned down during an encounter with security forces in Odisha's Kandhamal district. Police on Thursday said the top Maoist leader 69-year-old Ganesh Uike was carrying a reward of Rs 1.1 crore on his head.
Ganesh was a Central Committee commander of the CPI (Maoist) and spearheaded the outfit's operations in Odisha, making him one of the state’s most wanted Maoist leaders.
Ganesh was killed during an anti-Naxal operation in Kandhamal district, which was launched based on specific intelligence inputs, as per a Deccan Chronicle report, citing police.
Odisha DGP Yogesh Bahadur Khurania said: "The security forces have neutralised Ganesh Uike today, and I believe this has broken the backbone of the Maoist terror in Odisha and will bring about a significant change in the Maoist situation in the state."
The gunning down of four Naxals takes the total number of Maoists killed in the district to six over the past two days, after Wednesday’s operation in which two cadres, including an area committee member, were shot dead, The Times of India reported. It is for the first time in recent years that security forces in Odisha have killed a Maoist commander of Central Committee rank, the report added.
Ganesh was also known by his aliases Rupa, Chamu, Pakka Hanumantu. He hailed from Nalgonda in Telangana, ADG (anti-Naxal operations) Sanjeeb Panda reportedly said.
After the operation, security forces found the bodies of four uniformed Maoists —- two men and two women —- along with arms and equipment. The identity of Ganesh was ascertained but the other three remain unidentified.
The Deccan Chronicle report said that arms and equipment, including INSAS rifles, a .303 rifle, a revolver and communication devices, were recovered from the encounter sites. No security personnel were injured, and combing operations have been stepped up in the area to ensure no other Maoist cadres are present.
The recent encounter comes just days after 22 Maoists surrendered before the Odisha Director General of Police in the neighbouring Malkangiri district.
