Slain Maoist leader Basavaraju was involved in more than 200 Naxal attacks: IG Bastar

Narayanpur (Chhattisgarh) [India], May 22 (ANI): The Inspector General (IG) of Bastar Range in Chhattisgarh, P Sundarraj, on Thursday said CPI (Maoist) general secretary Basavaraju, who was killed in an encounter on Wedenesday, had an active role in the planning of many Naxalite attacks on security forces and people's representatives, and termed his killing a great achievement in the anti-Naxal operation.
"CPI (Maoist) general secretary Nambala Keshava Rao alias Basavaraju, who was killed in the encounter, was active in Naxalite activities for the last 40-45 years...He was involved in more than 200 Naxalite activities," Sundarraj told ANI.
Sundarraj said that Basavaraju had a direct or indirect role in all the attacks of the Naxalites in the Left-Wing Extremism-affected States in the last few years, as he was the Commander-in-Chief of the Central Military Commission (CMC) of the Maoists.
"In the last two to three years, he had been the general secretary of CPI (Maoist). In many attacks against the members of the security forces and elected representatives, he had an active role in the conspiracy and planning. He hails from Andhra Pradesh, Srikakulam district, and was around 70 years old. He was a B.Tech graduate. We are collecting more information on him and other Maoists killed in the operation," Sundarraj said.
The officer said that the search operation is still going on in the encounter area.
"A total of 27 bodies of Naxalites, including CPI (Maoist) general secretary Nambala Keshava Rao alias Basavaraju, have been recovered in an encounter between security forces and Naxalites in the forest area of Abujhmad in Narayanpur... Ammunition and weapons have also been recovered from the encounter site. The search operation is underway," he said.
"The security forces carried out this operation very tactically, which resulted in the death of CPI (Maoist) general secretary Nambala Keshava Rao alias Basavaraju... This is a great achievement for the security forces... Peace and normalcy will be restored in the area, and the people of the country hope that Naxalism will be eradicated. Peace and normalcy will prevail in the area," he added.
Basavaraju was among the 27 Naxals killed in the joint operation of the security forces in the Abujmarh forests of Chhattisgarh's Narayanpur district.
AK-47 rifles, SLR-INSAS carbines, and other arms and ammunition in heavy numbers were recovered. One DRG jawan was martyred and several others were injured in the operation.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi also praised the efforts of India's security forces after 27 Maoists, including top CPI-Maoist leader Nambala Keshav Rao alias Basavaraju, were killed in a major operation in Chhattisgarh's Narayanpur district.
In a post on X, Prime Minister Modi said, "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."
Union Home Minister Amit Shah has said that this is the first time in three decades of India's battle against Naxalism that a General Secretary-ranked leader has been neutralised by the security forces.
Noting that Basavaraju was the backbone of the Naxal movement, Amit Shah said that 54 Naxalites have been arrested and that 84 Naxalites have surrendered in Chhattisgarh, after the completion of Operation Black Forest. (ANI)