Top Maoist leader Ganesh Uike, who carried reward of Rs 1.1 crore, killed in Kandhamal encounter in Odisha

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Bhubaneswar: Six Maoists, including a senior leader of the banned CPI (Maoist), were killed in a series of encounters with security forces in Odisha’s Kandhamal district, police confirmed on Thursday. The operation is being described as one of the state’s most significant anti-Naxal successes in recent years.

Ganesh Uike, a central committee member of CPI (Maoist) and the organisation’s Odisha chief, was among those killed. Uike, who carried a reward of Rs 1.1 crore, was considered one of the most influential Maoist leaders operating in the region. According to police, he was known by multiple aliases, including Pakka Hanumantu, Rajesh Tiwari, Chamru and Rupa, and hailed from Telangana’s Nalgonda district.

The first exchange of fire took place on Wednesday night in the Gumma forest area under the Belghar police station limits, where two Maoists from Chhattisgarh were killed. Fresh encounters erupted early Thursday in the Chakapad police station area, resulting in the deaths of four more rebels, including Uike.

Odisha DGP Yogesh Bahadur Khurania stold ANI, “A major anti-Naxal joint operation is underway on the border of Ganjam district. This morning, the Odisha Police and security forces achieved a major success, eliminating four Naxals, including Ganesh Uike, a member of the Central Committee. He was the head of all Maoist operations in Odisha. The security forces have neutralised him 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.

He added, “Following the call given by Union Home Minister Modi to end Maoism by March 2026, the Odisha Police is working with full dedication to achieve this objective as quickly as possible, and I am fully confident that they will succeed.”