Bhubaneswar, December 25, 2025: A senior leader of the banned CPI (Maoist), Ganesh Uike, who was carrying a cash reward of ₹1.1 crore, was among four Maoists killed in a fierce encounter with security forces in Odisha’s Kandhamal district on Thursday, police officials said.
The gunfight broke out in a dense forest under the Chakapad police station area after security forces launched a coordinated operation based on specific intelligence inputs. Officials confirmed that Uike, a central committee member who was overseeing Maoist activities in Odisha, was neutralised along with three other cadres, including two women. The identities of the remaining Maoists are yet to be confirmed.
Uike, aged 69, was a native of Pullemala village in Telangana’s Nalgonda district and was known by several aliases, including Pakka Hanumantu, Rajesh Tiwari, Chamru and Rupa. Police said his death has dealt a severe blow to the Maoist network operating in the state.
A day earlier, on Wednesday night, security forces had killed two Maoists from
Chhattisgarh in a separate exchange of fire in the Gumma forest area under Belghar police limits. The two were identified as CPI (Maoist) area committee member Bari alias Rakesh and dalam member Amrit, who together carried a reward of ₹23.65 lakh.
Odisha Director General of Police Y B Khurania, addressing a press conference, described the killing of a central committee member as one of the most significant anti-Maoist successes in recent years. He said the operation has substantially weakened the banned outfit’s leadership structure in the region.
Khurania added that sustained operations are continuing along the Kandhamal-Ganjam inter-district border and expressed confidence that further gains would be made. He reiterated the state police’s resolve to achieve the Centre’s target of eliminating Naxalism by March 2026.
Officials said the operation involved 23 teams, including units of the Odisha Police’s Special Operations Group, the CRPF and the BSF. During searches at the encounter site, security forces recovered two INSAS rifles and one .303 rifle.
The latest encounter follows the surrender of 22 Maoists in neighbouring Malkangiri district earlier this week, reflecting mounting pressure on the insurgent group across southern Odisha.
