Security forces in Odisha neutralised a top Telugu Maoist commander. Ganesh Uikey, 69, a top central committee member of the CPI (Maoist) and the head of its Odisha wing was killed by the Border Security Force (BSF) and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) forces in the Rampa forest region between Kandhamal and Ganjam districts.
Other Maoists with the two women cadres were also killed in the encounter. The operation of Thursday is one of the biggest hits the Maoist insurgency has gotten in recent years and virtually tore the head off the latter.
At around 9 am, security personnel met a group of armed Maoist squad in the Rambha forest range. The rebels fired and a heavy exchange of bullets ensued. By noon, four Maoists were retrieved dead by the security forces at the location including Ganesh Uike.
The security personnel retrieved weapons of high calibre on the locality such as two INSAS rifles and a .303 rifle, which indicated the high level of the neutralised squad. Uike was an old-time insurgent, born in Nalgonda, Telangana, under different names, such as Pakka Hanumantu, Rajesh Tiwari and Rupa.
Uike Carried Rs 1.1 Crore Bounty
Ganesh Uike was a huge burden with a crore of one point one hundred and twelve. He was among the last members of the Maoist Central Committee, the apex of decision making organ of the group.
The 69-year old served the greater part of the 40 years in the Dandakaranya Special Zonal Committee (DKSZC) and was the main connection between the central hinge and the local units throughout what has been termed as the Red Corridor.
He was the mastermind in the growth of the movement in the Eastern Ghats.
One of the other three central committee members remained too, Uikey, Ganesh Uikey, Odisha/Mallaraji Reddy (alias Sangram, Chhattisgarh/Analda, alias Toofan, Jharkhand). The identification of three other Maoists that were killed in the operation on Thursday is under verification.
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