Bhubaneswar: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday announced a major breakthrough in anti-Naxal operations in Odisha, stating that CPI (Maoist) Central Committee member Ganesh Uike and five other Naxalites have been neutralised in a major security operation in the forests of Kandhamal district.
In a post on social media platform X, Home Minister Shah described the operation as a significant milestone in the Centre’s mission to make India free from Left Wing Extremism.
“In a major operation in Kandhmal, Odisha, 6 Naxalites, including Central Committee Member Ganesh Uike, have been neutralised so far. With this major breakthrough, Odisha stands at the threshold of becoming completely free from Naxalism. We are resolved to eliminate Naxalism before the 31st of March 2026,” the Home Minister said.
According to senior police officials overseeing anti-Naxal operations in the state, Ganesh Uike was the chief of the banned CPI (Maoist) outfit in Odisha. He was carrying a bounty of ₹1.1 crore on his head, making him one of the most wanted Maoist leaders in the region.
The encounter took place during a combing operation by security forces in a dense forest area under Chakapad police station limits in Kandhamal district. Security personnel launched the operation based on specific intelligence inputs regarding the presence of top Maoist leaders in the area.
Ganesh Uike, aged 69, was known by multiple aliases including Pakka Hanumantu, Rajesh Tiwari, Chamru and Rupa. He was a native of Pullemala village under Chendur mandal in Telangana’s Nalgonda district and had been active in Maoist activities for several decades.
Officials said the identities of the other five Naxalites neutralised in the encounter, including two women, are yet to be established. Search and sanitisation operations are continuing in the area to rule out the presence of more insurgents.
The operation is being seen as a major success for Odisha Police and central security forces, significantly weakening the Maoist leadership structure in the state.
