New Delhi [India], June 5 (HBTV): Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday said that security forces neutralized 27 dreaded Maoists, including Nambala Keshav Rao alias Basavaraju, the general secretary of the CPI (Maoist), during an operation in Chhattisgarh’s Narayanpur district. He described the development as a ‘major breakthrough’.

In a post on X, Shah said this was the first time in three decades of India’s battle against Naxalism that a general secretary-ranked Maoist leader has been eliminated by security forces.

Referring to Basavaraju as the backbone of the Naxal movement, Shah said that following the completion of Operation Black Forest, 54 Naxalites have been arrested and 84 have surrendered in Chhattisgarh.

He further stated that the Modi government is committed to eliminating Naxalism by March 31, 2026.

‘A landmark achievement in the battle to eliminate Naxalism. Today, in an operation in Narayanpur, Chhattisgarh, our security forces have neutralized 27 dreaded Maoists, including Nambala Keshav Rao alias Basavaraju, the general secretary of CPI (Maoist), topmost leader and the backbone of the Naxal movement,’ Shah said in his post.

‘This is the first time in three decades of Bharat’s battle against Naxalism that a general secretary-ranked leader has been neutralized by our forces. I applaud our brave security forces and agencies for this major breakthrough. Also glad to share that after the completion of Operation Black Forest, 54 Naxalites have been arrested and 84 have surrendered in Chhattisgarh, Telangana, and Maharashtra. The Modi government is resolved to eliminate Naxalism before March 31, 2026,’ he added.

Earlier in the day, an encounter broke out between security forces and Naxals in the forest area of Abujhmad in Chhattisgarh’s Narayanpur district.

Chhattisgarh Deputy Chief Minister Arun Sao stated that security forces are working ‘diligently’ to make Bastar Naxal-free by March 2026.

‘After the formation of our government in the state, a programme is running to make Bastar Naxal-free. In Narayanpur, more than two dozen Naxalites have been killed in an encounter. Our security forces are working diligently so that by March 2026, Bastar becomes Naxal-free,’ Arun Sao told ANI.

He confirmed that one soldier was injured during the encounter.

Security forces conducted Operation Black Forest to target Naxal strongholds near Karreguttalu Hill (KGH) at the Chhattisgarh-Telangana border.

(ANI)