Ganesh Uike, a top Maoist leader and Central Committee member, was killed in an Odisha encounter. Four Maoists died, weapons were seized, and security forces achieved a major breakthrough against Left-wing extremism.
In a major breakthrough against Left-wing extremism, security forces neutralised a top Maoist leader during an early-morning encounter in Odisha’s Kandhamal district on Thursday. Among the four Maoists killed was Ganesh Uike (69), a Central Committee member of the Communist Party of India (Maoist) and the outfit’s Odisha in-charge. The operation is being described by officials as one of the most significant successes against Maoist leadership in the state in recent years.
Top Maoist Leader Neutralised in Kandhamal Encounter
Ganesh Uike, a senior strategist within the Maoist hierarchy, was gunned down along with three associates in a forested area under the Chakapada police station limits of Kandhamal district, close to the Rambha forest range in neighbouring Ganjam district. Officials said the exchange of fire occurred during a combing operation launched on the basis of specific intelligence inputs.
Rare Success Against Central Committee Rank
With this operation, the number of Maoists killed in Kandhamal district has risen to six in the past two days. On Wednesday, security forces had shot dead two Maoist cadres, including an area committee member. Officials noted that this is the first time in recent years that a Maoist leader of Central Committee rank has been eliminated by security forces in Odisha.
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Weapons Seized After Encounter
Following the encounter, security personnel recovered the bodies of four Maoists in uniform, comprising two men and two women. Arms and ammunition seized from the spot included two INSAS rifles and one .303 rifle, indicating that the group was well-armed.
Maoist Leader Carried Over Rs 1 Crore Bounty
Confirming the identity of the slain leader, Additional Director General of Police (Anti-Naxal Operations) Sanjeeb Panda said Ganesh Uike was known by several aliases, including Rupa, Chamu and Pakka Hanumantu. A native of Nalgonda district in Telangana, he carried a cumulative reward exceeding Rs 1 crore. While Uike’s identity has been confirmed, the identities of the other three Maoists are still being verified.
Administrative Backbone of Maoist Network
Although not known as a frontline battlefield commander, Ganesh Uike was regarded as the administrative backbone of the Maoist movement in Odisha and adjoining regions. One of the six remaining Central Committee members of CPI (Maoist), he played a key role in organisational planning, maintaining communication networks, managing logistics, and overseeing finances during the insurgency’s peak years.
Encounter Follows Maoist Surrenders in Malkangiri
The encounter comes close on the heels of another setback for the banned organisation. Just two days earlier, 22 Maoists from Chhattisgarh surrendered before authorities in Malkangiri district of Odisha, signalling increased pressure on the insurgent network in the eastern region.
Security officials said combing operations would continue in the area to ensure that remaining Maoist elements are flushed out and long-term peace is restored in affected districts.
