Bhubaneswar: Senior Maoist leader Ganesh Uike, one of the most wanted insurgent commanders carrying a bounty of Rs 1.1 crore, was killed along with five others in a major anti-Naxal operation in Odisha’s Kandhamal district on Thursday, a development that Union Home Minister Amit Shah described as a significant breakthrough bringing the state to the threshold of becoming completely free from Naxalism.
According to security officials, the encounter took place during a coordinated operation launched on the basis of specific intelligence about the presence of armed Maoist cadres in the forested terrain of Kandhamal. The gun battle began late Wednesday and continued into Thursday morning. Arms, ammunition, and other materials were recovered from the site.
Uike, a Central Committee Member of the CPI (Maoist) and the head of the organisation’s Odisha operations, had long been associated with planning and executing violent attacks targeting security personnel and civilians. His killing marks one of the most significant blows to the Maoist network in Odisha in recent years.
Reacting to the development, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said the breakthrough brings Odisha close to being declared free from Naxalism. In a message posted on X, Shah stated that the elimination of the six Maoists, including Uike, represents “another major breakthrough” and reiterated the government’s commitment to eradicate Naxalism nationwide by March 31, 2026. He added that Odisha now “stands at the threshold of becoming completely free from Naxalism.”
According to Odisha Police, the operation was jointly carried out by the Special Operations Group, the Special Intelligence Wing, district police units, CRPF and BSF personnel. In a post on X, the police stated that six CPI (Maoist) cadres were neutralised and urged remaining Maoists to surrender under the government’s rehabilitation policy, reaffirming the goal of achieving a Left-Wing Extremism–free Odisha before March 2026.
Once among the states most affected by Maoist insurgency, Odisha has in recent years recorded a sharp decline in violent incidents due to sustained security pressure, improved intelligence coordination, and development initiatives in remote tribal regions. Officials said the Kandhamal operation underscores the shrinking operational space for Maoist groups and the growing impact of coordinated counter-insurgency measures.
With the neutralisation of key Maoist leadership figures like Uike, authorities believe Odisha is now closer than ever to ending militant activity linked to Left-Wing Extremism, aligning with the Centre’s national objective of eliminating the movement within the announced timeline.
