In a significant counter-Naxal operation, Indian security forces eliminated top Maoist commander Basava Raju, also known as Nambala Keshava Rao, on May 21. The operation spanned over 50 hours and took place in the Maad region of Narayanpur district, Chhattisgarh, where at least 26 Naxals were reported killed. According to Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma, who oversees the home portfolio, one police supporter died, and a police jawan sustained injuries during the encounter.
The clash unfolded in the dense forests between Abhujmad and the Indravati National Park area, marking a critical moment in the ongoing battle against Maoist insurgency.
Basava Raju was notably the mastermind behind the Alipiri bomb attack targeting then-Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu on October 1, 2003. Naidu survived the attempt but suffered injuries from landmine blasts orchestrated by Naxalites, fracturing his right hand and injuring his left collarbone. Raju also played a pivotal role in the 2010 Dantewada attack that claimed the lives of 76 CRPF personnel. After the resignation of top Maoist leader Ganapathi in 2018, he ascended to the position of Supreme Commander of the Maoist party.
Raju had gained notoriety for devising guerrilla tactics for Naxal operations and was skilled in planting improvised explosive devices (IEDs). His involvement with Naxalism began during his M.Tech studies after studying engineering at Warangal REC, where he was influenced by his father’s career as a school teacher.
In recent months, anti-Naxal operations have intensified in Chhattisgarh. A joint task force comprised of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and state police initiated a 21-day operation named ‘Black Forest’ from April 20 to May 11, focused on dismantling Naxal strongholds near Karreguttalu Hill along the Chhattisgarh-Telangana border. In the previous week alone, security forces neutralized 31 Naxalites, including 16 women. The operation, considered a major success, was conducted in a region long viewed as a stronghold for Naxal activities, where forces also recovered 35 weapons during confrontations across challenging terrain.
Original Source: https://www.firstpost.com/india/basava-raju-operation-black-forest-in-chhattisgarh-top-naxal-commander-ws-d-13890381.html
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Publish Date: 2025-05-21 14:10:00
