Top Maoist Ganesh Uike With Rs 1.1 Crore Bounty Among 6 Killed In Odisha

The dense, freezing forests of Odisha witnessed a major shift in the country’s internal security this week. In a high-stakes operation that spanned two days, security forces neutralized six Maoists in the Kandhamal district. Among those killed was the dreaded Ganesh Uike, a high-ranking leader who carried a massive bounty of Rs 1.1 crore on his head. For the security agencies, this is not just another encounter; it is being hailed as the "breaking of the backbone" of Maoist activities in the state of Odisha.

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The Man Behind the Bounty

​Ganesh Uike, whose real name was Pakka Hanumantu, was no ordinary insurgent. At 69 years old, he was a battle-hardened veteran of the outlawed CPI (Maoist) group. He hailed from the Nalgonda district in Telangana but had spent nearly four decades operating in the shadows of India’s central and eastern forests.

​Uike was a member of the elite Central Committee, the highest decision-making body of the Maoist organization. Over the years, he had used several aliases like Rajesh Tiwari, Chamru, and Rupa to evade capture. His strategic importance was so high that he was recently put in charge of all operations in Odisha, tasked with reviving the movement in the Kalahandi-Rayagada-Kandhamal-Boudh corridor. His death is a staggering blow to the group’s leadership structure.

​A Coordinated Strike in the Cold

​The operation began on Wednesday night, December 24, 2025, driven by specific intelligence about the presence of armed cadres in the difficult terrain of Kandhamal. The first clash took place in the Gumma forest under the Belghar police station limits. In this initial gunfight, two Maoists from Chhattisgarh were killed. These individuals were later identified as Bari alias Rakesh and Amrit, both carrying significant rewards for their roles in previous violent attacks.

​As the sun rose on Thursday, the second and more decisive encounter occurred in the Chakapad forest area, near the border of Ganjam district. A joint force comprising the Special Operations Group (SOG) of the Odisha Police, the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), and the Border Security Force (BSF) moved in with precision. The biting cold of the forest, where temperatures had dropped below three degrees Celsius, reportedly worked in favor of the security forces, catching the insurgents off guard.

​The Final Encounter of Ganesh Uike

​During the second phase of the operation, four more Maoists were gunned down. When the smoke cleared, the bodies of two men and two women in uniform were recovered. Among them was the white-haired Ganesh Uike. Along with him, security forces found sophisticated weaponry, including INSAS rifles and a .303 rifle, along with communication equipment and Maoist literature.

​The three others killed alongside Uike were identified as Rajani, Sima, and Umesh. Each of them was a seasoned cadre member carrying their own bounties. The fact that a Central Committee member like Uike was found in the field shows that the group was desperate to maintain its influence in the region.

​A Milestone for a Naxal-Free India

​Union Home Minister Amit Shah was quick to congratulate the security forces on this breakthrough. He took to social media to describe the operation as a "significant milestone" toward a "Naxal-free Bharat." The Indian government has set a firm deadline of March 31, 2026, to completely eliminate Left-Wing Extremism from the country.

​With the death of Uike, Odisha is now being described as standing on the "threshold" of being completely free from Maoist influence. The Director General of Police (DGP) in Odisha, Y.B. Khurania, noted that the outfit now lacks any senior leadership in the state to replace a commander of Uike's stature. This vacuum makes it nearly impossible for the group to recruit new cadres or orchestrate large-scale attacks in the near future.

​Why This Region is a Stronghold

​The Aravalli-like ruggedness of the Kandhamal and Ganjam forest belt has long been a challenge for the police. The dense tree cover and hilly topography provide perfect hiding spots for guerrilla squads. Maoists often use these inter-district boundaries to slip away from one jurisdiction to another whenever the pressure increases.

​However, the recent strategy of building "Forward Operating Bases" (FOBs) has changed the game. By establishing permanent police camps deep inside the jungle, the security forces have reclaimed the land. They no longer have to travel from distant cities for an operation; they are already there, living in the same environment as the insurgents. This persistent presence has choked the supply lines of the Maoists and forced senior leaders like Uike to come out into the open.

​The Human Cost of Insurgency

​While the focus is often on bounties and rank, the real impact of these operations is felt by the local tribal communities. For decades, the people living in these remote forests have been caught between the crossfire of the state and the insurgents. The Maoist movement, which originally claimed to fight for the rights of the poor and landless, has often been accused of stalling development projects like roads, schools, and hospitals to maintain their control over the area.

​With the neutralization of senior commanders, the government hopes to bring "peace and progress" to these neglected regions. The Odisha Chief Minister, Mohan Charan Majhi, emphasized that the ultimate goal is to ensure that the benefits of democracy reach every corner of the forest. The surrender of 22 Maoists in the neighboring Malkangiri district just two days before this encounter suggests that many lower-level cadres are also ready to give up the path of violence.

​What Happens Next?

​The death of Ganesh Uike is not the end of the operation. Combing and search activities are still ongoing in the Rambha forest range and the surrounding areas. Security agencies believe that there might be more members of Uike's team hiding in the dense undergrowth.

​Drones and night-vision equipment are being used to scan the terrain, and the inter-state borders with Chhattisgarh are on high alert to prevent any remnants of the squad from escaping. The government is also likely to ramp up its "surrender and rehabilitation" programs, encouraging the remaining foot soldiers to lay down their arms rather than face the same fate as their leader.

​As 2025 comes to a close, the "Red Corridor" that once stretched across a huge part of India is visibly shrinking. The fall of a leader like Ganesh Uike is a clear message that no amount of forest cover or experience can protect those who challenge the sovereignty of the state through armed violence. For the people of Odisha, this winter might just bring the promise of a quieter, more peaceful spring.