Maoist Leader Basavaraju Dead: How Indian Security Forces Brought Down a Top Rebel
The Fall of Basavaraju: A Maoist Leader Eliminated
In a significant victory for Indian security forces, senior Maoist leader Nambala Keshav Rao, also known as Basavaraju, was killed in a fierce gun battle in the dense Abujmad forests of Chhattisgarh on Wednesday. This operation, meticulously planned and executed over months, marks a major blow to the Maoist insurgency in the region.
A Long Hunt in the Heart of the Jungle
Abujmad, notorious for its rugged terrain and dense forests, has long been a sanctuary for senior Maoist leaders. For over three months, the Narayanpur Police’s anti-Naxal wing painstakingly pieced together clues, tracing the movements of Basavaraju, a top commander protected by the elusive Company No. 7 of the People’s Liberation Guerrilla Army (PLGA).
Beginning with surrendered Maoists who once roamed Abujhmad, the police gleaned information from interrogation reports, meticulously searching for patterns in the leaders’ movements and shelter. These threads led them to Company 7, whose cadres were known for their fiercely loyal protection of leaders like Basavaraju.
Persistence Pays Off: From Tips to Tracking
The anti-Naxal wing, led by Superintendent of Police Prabhat Kumar, relentlessly pursued every lead, no matter how faint. They interrogated surrendered members of Company 7, who attempted to mislead investigators with false trails and decoys. But the determined police team refused to back down. Operation after operation, they gradually squeezed the space available to the Maoists within Abujhmad.
A fresh local tip-off on Monday led to a series of engagements between the District Reserve Guard (DRG) and Maoists, but Basavaraju managed to escape. The intense search continued on Tuesday, but yielded no immediate results.
A Chance Encounter: The Final Showdown
On Tuesday evening, four elite DRG units camped silently in the dense jungle. Unbeknownst to them, Basavaraju and 25 armed cadres, along with another senior Maoist leader, had taken shelter nearby.
At 7 am on Wednesday, a Maoist sentry on patrol encountered a DRG jawan. In a sudden clash, the sentry attacked the jawan with a rifle-mounted bayonet. The jawan fought back, and a shot was fired, triggering a full-scale confrontation.
The Maoists scattered but were quickly confronted by the DRG teams. They regrouped on a plateau, forming a defensive circle around Basavaraju. A fierce 30-minute gun battle ensued, with the DRG teams climbing a rocky rise under intense fire.
As soon as Basavaraju was killed, the remaining Maoists fled in different directions, shouting slogans. The DRG surrounded them, ultimately eliminating all the insurgents.
A former Maoist-turned-DRG jawan, who had served in Company No. 7 before surrendering in 2022, identified Basavaraju among the fallen.
A Significant Victory
The operation was a culmination of months of meticulous planning, relentless pursuit, and unwavering determination. The killing of Basavaraju, a senior Maoist leader who had evaded capture for years, is a significant blow to the Maoist insurgency in the region.
