Basava Raju: ‘Maoist organisation is now headless’: How a 72-hour operation took out top commander Basava Raju in Chhattisgarh forests | Raipur News

RAIPUR: Chhattisgarh District Reserve Guards forces on Wednesday killed the biggest Maoist commander Basvaraju in forests of Abujhmarh in Bastar region along with 27 Maoists gunned down in a major encounter.Union Home Minister Amit Shah took to X saying, “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. This is the first time in three decades of Bharat’s battle against Naxalism that a general secretary-ranked leader has been neutralized by our forces.I applaud our brave security forces and agencies for this major breakthrough.“The Maoist organisation is now headless,” a senior intelligence officer said, requesting not to be named.A senior SP told TOI that several surrendered cadres have identified Basava’s body. “It’s him. We got him,” he said. Since it took some time to confirm the it was Basva, a police officer said that Confirmation of a high profile kill takes time because police seek foolproof identification, including, if needed, DNA tests. “It’s a historic day in the fight against Naxalism. We got No. 1 of the Maoists,” said another senior officer.Chhattisgarh chief minister Vishnu Deo Sai said: “The operations are mainly carried out by DRG. I salute their bravery. We have been appealing to Maoists to surrender. There is no need to keep repeating it.”“The operation has been going on for 72 hours,” deputy CM and home minister Vijay Sharma said. Bastar range IG P Sundarraj told TOI: “So far, 27 Naxalite bodies and a large number of weapons have been recovered during the operation. A DRG jawan was killed in the fierce encounter.” The operation was preceded by elaborate planning for over 15 days before the state forces got confirmation of the presence of Basvaraju in Orchha region of Abujhmarh, over 60km from the district headquarters and 300km from Raipur, say sources. According to a police officer, they gathered inputs from Andhra Pradesh police and surrendered cadres to zero in on the top Maoist commander.Basavraju was among a clutch of Maoist Central Committee and Politburo members camping in Abujhmarh, protected by hardcore PLGA cadres and senior Marh Division members. DRG teams from four districts — Narayanpur, Dantewada, Bijapur, and Kondagaon — set off after getting intelligence inputs that the specific location of the camp. Gunfights broke out in a patch of dense jungle, some 15-20km from Orchha. The guns fell silent on Wednesday when Maoists broke off and retreated. “A few security personnel sustained injuries during the encounter. All the injured have been given immediate medical attention and are now out of danger. The search operation is still ongoing,” an officer said. Official sources said that Basvaraju, who carried Rs 1.5 crore bounty, was among those killed. According to a police statement, it’s the biggest encounter ever in Abujhmarh.“After reviewing all the facts and information obtained from this crucial operation, it is estimated that several senior-level Maoist cadres have either been killed or seriously injured,” it said. A police officer said that it would take 24 hours for the troops to return. “Despite difficult geographical conditions and multiple challenges, security forces are advancing with this decisive campaign against left-wing extremism with full commitment and determination,” IG said. Amit Shah also shared that after completion of Operation Black Forest, 54 Naxalites have been arrested and 84 Naxalites have surrendered in Chhattisgarh, Telangana, and Maharashtra.”The Modi government is resolved to eliminate Naxalism before the 31st of March 2026, he said. Chhattisgarh chief minister Vishnu Deo Sai said, “Under the successful leadership of Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and with the resolve of Union Home Minister Amit Shah to eliminate Naxalism from the country and the state by March 2026, our security forces are consistently achieving success and moving rapidly towards this goal.”CM said, In Narayanpur, despite difficult geographical conditions and numerous challenges, the DRG unit of the Chhattisgarh Police is carrying out this decisive campaign against left-wing extremism with full commitment and determination. As a result, 27 Naxalites have been killed so far, including confirmation of the elimination of notorious Naxal leaders Nambala Keshav Rao and alias Baswaraju, he added. “This success achieved by our brave soldiers is commendable—I salute their courage. It is saddening to receive the news of one DRG jawan attaining martyrdom and some others being injured during the operation,” CM Sai said. Instructions have been given for the immediate treatment of the injured soldiers. I pray to God for peace to the soul of the martyred soldier and for the speedy recovery of the injured.About DRG forceDistrict Reserve Guards is a special state unit initially formed in May 2015 by Chhattisgarh govt in LWE districts of Sukma, Dantewada and Bijapur and later was expanded to Mungeli, Rajnandgaon, Kabirdham and Narayanpur. The force mainly includes the local boys and surrendered cadres.In most of the effective anti-Maoist operations, DRG boys played the lead and frontal role.