Top Maoist with Rs 1-cr bounty among six killed in Odisha, Pg1

Key Highlights:

• Top Maoist leader Paka Hanumanthu, alias Ganesh, carrying a reward of ₹1 crore, and five other Maoists were killed in an encounter in Odisha.
• Ganesh, aged 67, was a Central Committee member of the CPI (Maoist).
• The Union Home Ministry called the development a "significant milestone towards Naxal-free Bharat" with a goal to eliminate Naxalism before March 31, 2026.
• The encounter occurred in the Chakapad police station area of Odisha’s Kandhamal district and the Rambha forest range in the bordering areas of Ganjam district.
• Security forces seized two INSAS rifles from the encounter site.

Detailed Insights:

• Ganesh was among the few remaining senior Maoist leaders from the Telugu states and is believed to have led several high-profile attacks, including the 2013 Jhirham Ghati attack.
• He was allegedly involved in the 1981 murder of ABVP leader Achuri Srinivas while a member of the Radical Students Union (RSU).
• Ganesh held various positions in the banned outfit, including city organiser in Jagdalpur and secretary of the West Bastar Divisional committee.
• Another senior Telugu Maoist leader, Thippiri Tirupathi alias Devuji, remains at large, with security forces in multiple states attempting to locate him.
• The operation is ongoing in the Rambha forest range, historically used by Maoists for movement, re-grouping, and logistical support.

Key Concepts Involved:

• CPI (Maoist): A banned communist political organization in India that aims to overthrow the government through armed revolution.
• Naxalism: A violent Maoist insurgency primarily active in rural areas of India, characterized by armed struggle and social revolution.
• INSAS rifle: An Indian-made assault rifle used by the Indian armed forces.