Bhubaneswar – Ganesh Uike, a senior Maoist operative and central committee member of the banned Communist Party of India (Maoist), was shot dead in an overnight gunfight with a joint team of security forces in Kandhamal district, Odisha, police confirmed on Thursday. The operation, which began on Wednesday, also resulted in the deaths of five other Maoists, marking a significant setback to the Maoist network in the state.

Uike, 69, hailed from Chendur Mandal in Nalgonda district of Telangana and was the most senior Maoist operative active in Odisha. He carried a cumulative bounty of ₹1.1 crore on his head. Odisha’s Additional Director General of Police (Anti-Maoist Operations), Sanjeeb Panda, said that Uike was the only central committee member operating in Odisha at the time of his death. “Ganesh was a member of the Maoist central committee and played a key role in planning and coordinating armed activities across multiple zones. He was also known by several aliases including Rupa, Rajesh Tiwari, Chamru, and Pakka Hanumantu,” Panda stated.

The operation was launched following intelligence inputs from the Special Intelligence Wing (SIW). It involved 20 Special Operations Group (SOG) units of the state police, two teams of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), and a unit from the Border Security Force (BSF). The joint team targeted the Chakapad police station area and the Rambha forest range in Kandhamal, which borders Ganjam district. According to police, when the operation concluded, the bodies of four Maoists—two men and two women—were recovered during an extensive search of the area.

Additionally, two Maoists had been killed earlier on Wednesday by a mobile SOG team from Kotgadh. These individuals were identified as Bari alias Rakesh, an area committee member of the Rayagada Area Committee under the Bastar-Gadchiroli-North (BGN) division from Sukma district, and Amrit, a platoon member of the Supply Dalam (BGN) from Bijapur district.

Ganesh Uike’s death represents a major blow to the Naxal command structure in Odisha. As the most senior operative in the state, he was instrumental in coordinating Maoist operations and supervising armed activities across multiple regions. Analysts note that the elimination of central committee members significantly weakens the organizational hierarchy of the CPI (Maoist), which has been under sustained pressure from security operations across India.

This year alone, nine central committee members of the Maoists have been neutralized in encounters with security forces. These include four in Chhattisgarh, two in Jharkhand, two in Andhra Pradesh, and one in Odisha. The names of the deceased central committee members include Ramachandra Reddy alias Jairam alias Chalapati, Gautam alias Sudhakar, Modem Balakrishna, Raju Dada alias Katta Ramachandra Reddy, Kosa Dada alias Kadari Satyanarayana Reddy, Sahadev Soren alias Pravesh, Vivek alias Prayag Manjhi, Madvi Hidma, and Metturi Joga Rao alias Tech Shankar.

Security officials highlighted that Uike’s elimination is not only a tactical victory but also a strategic disruption to Maoist activities in the region. With the loss of a central committee member who was responsible for coordinating operations across multiple zones, the CPI (Maoist) faces operational challenges, particularly in Odisha, where Uike was the primary link between local cadres and the central leadership.

The joint operation reflects the increasing coordination between state and central security agencies in anti-Maoist operations. By leveraging intelligence inputs and deploying specialized units such as the SOG and CRPF, authorities have managed to target high-value Maoist operatives effectively. The use of mobile units in remote forested areas has proven to be a crucial strategy in neutralizing members of the CPI (Maoist) who often operate in difficult terrain.

Ganesh Uike’s death also underscores the ongoing efforts of Indian security forces to dismantle the leadership of the CPI (Maoist), a group responsible for orchestrating violent activities and armed insurgencies across multiple states. Analysts note that the consistent targeting of central committee members in various states—including Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Andhra Pradesh, and Odisha—has disrupted planning and operational capabilities, although sporadic attacks and insurgent activity continue to pose challenges to law enforcement.

Police officials confirmed that bodies of all Maoists killed in the Kandhamal operation were recovered and documented. They reiterated that operations will continue in the region to ensure that remnants of the Maoist network are neutralized and to restore peace and security in affected areas. Authorities also stressed the importance of community cooperation and intelligence sharing in tracking the movements of Naxal operatives and preventing further violence.

In summary, the elimination of Ganesh Uike, alongside other Maoist operatives, marks a major success for security forces in Odisha. As the most senior Maoist operative in the state, Uike’s death is expected to significantly weaken the Naxal command structure and disrupt operational planning across the region. The operation demonstrates the effectiveness of coordinated, intelligence-driven strategies in combating Maoist insurgency and reinforces the commitment of state and central agencies to maintaining law and order in Maoist-affected districts.