• Security forces in Chhattisgarh’s Bastar region have killed Nambala Keshav Rao, widely known as Basavaraju, along with 26 other Maoists in an encounter.

• Hailing from Andhra Pradesh, Basavaraju was considered the top leader and ideological backbone of the Naxalite movement. He was known for orchestrating numerous deadly attacks on security forces. 

• According to security forces, Basavaraju was involved in over 200 Naxal operations and was the commander-in-chief of the movement’s military commission.

• The encounter began on May 20, two days after the launch of a coordinated anti-Maoist operation in the dense forests of Abhujmad located at the tri-junction of Narayanpur, Bijapur, and Dantewada districts.

• The operation was initiated based on intelligence inputs about the presence of top leaders from the CPI (Maoist) Central Committee, Politburo, and senior cadres of the Maad Division and the People’s Liberation Guerrilla Army (PLGA).

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi lauded the security forces for their “remarkable success”, while Union Home Minister Amit Shah called it a “landmark achievement” in the campaign to eradicate Naxalism.

• Shah reiterated the government’s goal to eliminate Naxalism by March 31, 2026.

Who was Basavaraju?

• Basavaraju, a native of Srikakulam district in Andhra Pradesh, had been a key figure in the Naxalite movement since the 1970s.

• He rose to the top leadership of CPI (Maoist) about seven years ago, around the time of a noticeable decline in Naxalite activity in Bastar. He was wanted in numerous major attacks against security forces in Chhattisgarh.

• An alumnus of the country’s one of premier technical institutes, the Regional Engineering College, Warangal, Basavaraju was known for his military expertise, particularly in training and explosives. 

• He was recognised by various aliases, including Prakash, Krishna, Vijay, Umesh, and Kamlu.

• He carried a reward of Rs 1 crore on his head, announced by the Chhattisgarh government, with additional bounties announced in other states, including Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Telangana.

Additional Read:

Multi-pronged strategy to address Left Wing Extremism

The government of India (GoI) has adopted a comprehensive and multi-pronged strategy to address Left Wing Extremism (LWE), also known as Naxalism, under the ‘National Policy and Action Plan to Address LWE’ approved in 2015. This strategy focuses on security measures, development interventions, and ensuring the rights and entitlements of local communities.

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