Indian security forces have dealt a significant blow to Left-Wing Extremism (LWE) with the killing of a senior Maoist leader and five other rebels in two separate encounters in Odisha on Thursday. Among those killed was Ganesh Uike, a member of the Maoist central committee and a key strategist of the banned outfit, who carried a cumulative bounty of ₹1.10 crore. Officials described the operation as one of the most consequential strikes against the Maoist leadership in recent months.

Uike was killed during an early morning operation in a dense forest area of Kandhamal district, where joint teams of the Odisha Police, the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), and the Border Security Force (BSF) launched a coordinated offensive based on specific intelligence inputs. According to officials, the encounter resulted in the deaths of four Maoists, including Uike, while the identities of the other three—two of whom are believed to be women—are still being established.

Confirming the operation, additional director general of police (anti-Maoist operations) Sanjeeb Panda said that Uike, aged 69, was a central figure in planning and coordinating armed Maoist activities across multiple zones. “Four Maoists were killed in the gunfight. One of them was identified as Ganesh Uike, a central committee member who played a critical role in directing operations in Odisha and neighbouring regions,” Panda said.

Uike’s killing marks the death of 11 Maoist central committee members so far this year, officials said, dealing a severe blow to the outfit’s top decision-making body. People familiar with the intelligence assessments estimate that the central committee’s effective strength has now been reduced to around five members, raising questions about the organisation’s ability to plan and sustain large-scale operations.

Born in Telangana’s Nalgonda district, Uike had spent decades within the Maoist movement and was known for operating under several aliases, including Rupa, Rajesh Tiwari, Chamru, and Pakka Hanumantu. Officials said he was promoted to the Maoist central committee in 2020 and had since played a prominent role in shaping the group’s armed strategy. Prior to taking charge of Odisha operations in December 2024, Uike had overseen rebel cadres in the Karnataka–Kerala–Tamil Nadu region and later worked extensively in Chhattisgarh until November 2024.

After being tasked with Odisha operations, Uike established his base in Kandhamal district, from where he coordinated guerrilla activities, logistics, and movement of armed cadres across forested and remote areas. Security agencies had been tracking his movements for months, viewing him as a critical link between various Maoist zones and a key organiser of attacks on security forces and infrastructure.

Senior officers said Uike’s death leaves the Maoist organisation in Odisha without a high-ranking leader capable of commanding operations at the state level. “This is a body blow to the Maoists in Odisha. The outfit no longer has any senior leader of comparable stature in the state,” said an officer who spoke on condition of anonymity.

The officer added that the Maoists had already suffered a major setback earlier this year with the killing of Modem Balakrishna, who previously oversaw Odisha affairs for the group. Balakrishna was killed in an encounter with security forces in Chhattisgarh’s Gariyaband district on September 11. He was widely regarded as the mastermind behind the 2013 attack on a Congress convoy in Chhattisgarh’s Jhiram Ghati, which claimed 27 lives, including several senior political leaders.

Reacting to the latest operation, Union home minister Amit Shah hailed the encounter as a milestone in the government’s campaign against Left-Wing Extremism. “A significant milestone towards a Naxal-free Bharat. In a major operation in Kandhamal, Odisha, six Naxalites, including Central Committee member Ganesh Uike, have been neutralised so far,” Shah posted on X. Reiterating the Centre’s commitment, he said the government remains determined to eliminate LWE by March 31 of the coming year.

Odisha chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi also congratulated the security forces for what he described as a major success. “Today, Odisha has achieved remarkable success in the campaign to build a Naxal-free India. During the ongoing joint operation in Kandhamal district, six Naxalites, including Ganesh Uike, a member of the Naxal Central Committee, have been neutralised,” Majhi said in a post on X.

The Kandhamal encounter came just hours after another operation in the Rambha forest range of neighbouring Ganjam district, where security forces killed two Maoists who were dressed in civilian clothes. Officials identified them as Bari, also known as Rakesh, an area committee member of the Rayagada Area Committee under the Bastar–Gadchiroli–North (BGN) division and a native of Chhattisgarh’s Sukma district, and Amrit, a platoon member of the Supply Dalam under the same division from Bijapur district.

Security agencies said the near-simultaneous operations in Kandhamal and Ganjam reflected improved coordination and intelligence-sharing among central and state forces. The encounters are part of a broader, sustained offensive against Maoist insurgents that combines kinetic action with infrastructure development and welfare initiatives in historically affected regions.

Over the past year, security forces across Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, Bihar, Jharkhand, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Odisha have intensified operations against Maoist cadres. According to official estimates, at least 270 Maoists have been killed in encounters, while around 1,225 have surrendered and 680 have been arrested, including several senior leaders.

Among those neutralised in the past year are some of the most prominent figures in the Maoist hierarchy, including Madvi Hidma, Nambala Keshava Rao, also known as Basavaraju, and central committee members Uday alias Gajrala Rao, Katta Ramachandra Reddy, and Kadri Satyanarayan Reddy. With the killing of Uike, the total number of central committee members killed in gunfights this year has risen to at least 11.

Officials said the sustained pressure has weakened the Maoists’ operational capabilities, disrupted supply lines, and eroded morale among cadres. Intelligence assessments suggest that the shrinking leadership pool and mounting losses have made it increasingly difficult for the outfit to recruit, train, and retain fighters, particularly in core areas once considered strongholds.

The government’s strategy against Left-Wing Extremism, officials said, goes beyond security operations. It also involves accelerated road construction, expansion of mobile and digital connectivity, and the rollout of development and welfare projects in remote tribal and forested areas that were once cut off due to Maoist influence. Authorities believe that improving access to basic services and economic opportunities is crucial to preventing the resurgence of insurgent activity.

While security forces remain cautious about declaring victory, senior officials said the killing of Ganesh Uike represents a decisive moment in the long-running fight against Maoist violence. With the central leadership severely depleted and security operations intensifying across multiple states, the government believes it is closer than ever to achieving its stated goal of a Maoist-free India.