Topmost Maoist leader Basavaraju among 27 killed in Chhattisgarh, says Amit Shah

New Delhi | CPI-Maoist general secretary Nambala Keshav Rao alias Basavaraju, the topmost leader and backbone of the Naxal movement, was among the 27 dreaded Naxals killed by security forces in Chhattisgarh on Wednesday, Union Home Minister Amit Shah announced.

He also said that this is for the first time in three decades of India's battle against Naxalism that a general secretary-ranked leader has been neutralised by the security forces.

"A landmark achievement in the battle to eliminate Naxalism. Today, in an operation in Narayanpur, Chhattisgarh, our security forces have neutralized 27 dreaded Maoists, including Nambala Keshav Rao, alias Basavaraju, the general secretary of CPI-Maoist, topmost leader, and the backbone of the Naxal movement," Shah wrote on X.

Applauding the "brave security forces and agencies for this major breakthrough", the home minister said he was glad to share that after completion of Operation Black Forest, 54 Naxalites have been arrested and 84 others have surrendered in Chhattisgarh, Telangana, and Maharashtra.

"The Modi government is resolved to eliminate Naxalism before the 31st of March 2026," he said.

Basavaraju was in his late 60s, officials said.

The encounter took place in dense forests of Abhujmad on the tri-junction of Narayanpur-Bijapur-Dantewada districts, they said.

The operation involving personnel of DRG from Narayanpur, Dantewada, Bijapur, and Kondagaon was launched two days ago based on intelligence inputs about the presence of central committee and politburo members of Maoists, as well as senior Maad division cadres and PLGA (Peoples' Liberation Guerilla Army) members.