Top Maoist leader Ganesh Uike among four killed in Odisha encounter, carried Rs 1.10 crore bounty

In a major blow to Maoist leadership, four armed Maoists, including senior Central Committee member Ganesh Uike, were killed during an encounter with security forces in Kandhamal district on Thursday.

Uike, aged around 69, was carrying a cumulative bounty of Rs 1 crore 10 lakh and was considered one of the top Maoist operatives active in Odisha and neighbouring regions. Among the four Maoists that were neutralised, two were women.

Security officials confirmed that Ganesh was part of the Maoist central committee and had been involved in planning and coordinating armed activities across multiple zones. His killing is being described by security agencies as a significant operational success against the Naxals’ top command structure.

Who Was Ganesh Uike?

Ganesh was a senior commander of the Maoist Central Committee and one of the top leaders of the banned CPI (Maoist). A native of Nalgonda district in Telangana, he was operating from Odisha and was entrusted with leadership responsibilities in the state. Security sources said he played a key role in coordinating Maoist organisational activities across Odisha, Telangana, and Andhra Pradesh.

According to police, Ganesh was actively involved in strengthening the Maoist network by facilitating fresh recruitment into the armed wing of the Naxals. He was allegedly linked to multiple incidents of violence across the three states and had managed to evade police and security forces for a prolonged period, making him a high-value target for counter-insurgency operations.

Intelligence-Based Operation In Kandhamal

Sources reported that the encounter occurred during an intelligence-driven operation in forested areas of Kandhamal, where joint teams of security forces were carrying out combing and search activities. Based on specific inputs about the movement of senior Maoist leaders, security personnel advanced into the area, leading to an exchange of fire in which four Maoists were killed.

Officials said the operation was part of an intensified push following credible intelligence suggesting the presence of armed Maoist cadres in the region. The area has remained under sustained surveillance due to repeated Maoist movement and past incidents.

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Earlier Encounter, Arms Recovery

Earlier in the day, joint teams of the CRPF and the Special Operations Group (SOG) continued combing operations for a second consecutive day in the Belghar forest area of Kandhamal. This followed an encounter near Gumma in the Pedam forest, where two Maoists were killed during an exchange of fire triggered by specific intelligence inputs.

The Kandhamal encounter comes close on the heels of a major surrender in Malkangiri district on December 23, when 22 Maoists carrying cumulative rewards exceeding Rs 2 crore laid down arms before the Odisha Police.

The surrendered cadres included members from different hierarchical levels and handed over a large cache of weapons and explosives.