Union Home Minister Amit Shah confirmed Basavaraju's elimination in a statement on X, calling it a "landmark achievement in Bharat's battle against Naxalism." He added, "For the first time in three decades, a general secretary-ranked Maoist leader has been neutralised by our security forces."
Shah also highlighted the broader crackdown on Naxalism, noting the successful Operation Black Forest, which resulted in 54 arrests and 84 surrenders across Chhattisgarh, Telangana, and Maharashtra. The Home Minister reaffirmed the Modi government's goal to eliminate Naxalism by March 31, 2026.
'Operation Abujhmad'
According to senior police officials, the District Reserve Guard (DRG) jawans from Narayanpur, Dantewada, Bijapur, and Kondagaon were mobilised following credible intelligence about the presence of high-ranking Maoists in the Boter area of the Maad division. As the forces advanced into the forest, a fierce gunfight ensued.
Among those killed were several senior Maoist cadres. Police have recovered bodies, weapons, and other evidence from the site. One DRG jawan was martyred during the operation.
Narayanpur SP Prabhat Kumar confirmed that the encounter is still ongoing along the tri-junction of Dantewada, Narayanpur, and Bijapur, indicating the possibility of more casualties.
Who was Basava Raju?
Basavaraju, a Politburo member and General Secretary of the CPI (Maoist), was India's most wanted Maoist, carrying a Rs 1.5 crore bounty.
His death represents the biggest success for Indian security forces since the unification of Maoist factions into the CPI (Maoist) in 2004.
Just weeks ago, the Karregutta hills operation on the Chhattisgarh-Telangana border resulted in the elimination of 31 Maoists, including 16 women. That extended 24-day offensive saw the recovery of large weapon caches and dismantling of insurgent hideouts.
The forces have also seen significant surrenders, including 24 Maoists in Bijapur this Monday—14 of them carrying bounties worth Rs 28.5 lakh. Earlier in April, 26 Maoists surrendered in Narayanpur, five of them women cadres disillusioned with the Maoist ideology.
Chhattisgarh Home Minister Vijay Sharma called the Abujhmad encounter a "major counter-insurgency success", echoing HM Shah's sentiment that security forces will neither retreat nor compromise.
