Top maoist leader among 27 killed in Chhattisgarh Encounter: Amit Shah

The North News

New Delhi, May 21

Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday said that the security forces have neutralised 27 maoist militants, including the movement’s top leader, Nambala Keshav Rao, also known as Basavaraju. In a statement shared on social media, Amit Shah described the operation in Narayanpur, Chhattisgarh, as a “landmark achievement” in the fight to end Naxalism. Rao, the general secretary of the Communist Party of India (Maoist) and regarded as the backbone of the armed movement, was among those killed.

“This is the first time in three decades of Bharat’s battle against Naxalism that a general secretary-ranked leader has been neutralised by our forces,” Shah said, praising the security personnel involved for their bravery and effectiveness. The operation is part of the ongoing Operation Black Forest, which has also seen the arrest of 54 Maoists and the surrender of 84 others across the states of Chhattisgarh, Telangana, and Maharashtra. Shah reaffirmed the government’s commitment to eradicating Naxalism by 31 March 2026, describing the campaign as “resolute and relentless.”