New Delhi [India]: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday lauded India’s security forces for their major success in Chhattisgarh’s Narayanpur district, where 27 Maoists, including top CPI-Maoist leader Nambala Keshav Rao alias Basavaraju, were neutralised in a large-scale operation.
“Proud of our forces for this remarkable success. Our Government is committed to eliminating the menace of Maoism and ensuring a life of peace and progress for our people,” PM Modi stated in a post on X.
Earlier, Union Home Minister Amit Shah hailed the development as a historic milestone in India’s decades-long fight against Left-Wing Extremism (LWE).
“This is the first time in three decades of Bharat’s battle against Naxalism that a general secretary-ranked leader has been neutralised by our forces,” Shah wrote on X.
He confirmed that Operation Black Forest, conducted near Karreguttalu Hill (KGH) on the Chhattisgarh-Telangana border, resulted in the death of 27 Maoists. Among them was Basavaraju, considered the backbone of the Maoist insurgency and serving as the General Secretary of the CPI-Maoist.
Amit Shah further added that following the operation, 54 Naxalites were arrested and 84 surrendered across Chhattisgarh, Telangana, and Maharashtra.
“The Modi government is resolved to eliminate Naxalism before March 31, 2026,” he said.
The deadly encounter took place in the dense forest region of Abujhmad, a long-time stronghold of Maoist activity. Officials described it as a carefully planned joint offensive by central and state forces aimed at dismantling the leadership of the insurgency.
Chhattisgarh Deputy Chief Minister Arun Sao confirmed the successful operation and reiterated the state’s commitment to eliminating Naxalism from the Bastar region.
“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,” he told media.
Sao also noted that one soldier was injured during the operation.