BHUBANESWAR: In a major anti-Naxal operation, a joint team of Odisha Police and central paramilitary forces killed four Maoists, including top CPI (Maoist) leader Ganesh Uike, during an encounter in Kandhamal district's Chakapada police limits on Thursday. Uike, 69, a central committee member of the banned CPI (Maoist) and the head of its Odisha operations, carried a reward of over Rs 1.1 crore for his role in several deadly attacks across eastern and central India. Originally from Pullemala village of Chendur Mandal in Nalgonda district of Telangana, Uike was one of the most wanted Maoist leaders in India and headed the outfit in Odisha. Such was Uike’s role in the LWE surge that he carried a Rs 40 lakh reward by Chhattisgarh, Rs 25 lakh each by Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, besides Rs 1.1 crore in Odisha. His death will further weaken the Naxal movement in the region where he led the Maoist operations for several years.

Source: Indian Express December 25, 2025 20:42 UTC