Maoist Rebellion Suffers Major Blow as Basavaraju Dies in Black Forest Operation
In the span of a few weeks, the Indian authorities managed to eliminate several high-ranking Maoists, including the notorious Basavaraju. The kills were spread across various locations, most notably in the Karreguttalu hills and the jungles near Dantewada, Bijapur, and Narayanpur districts.
The grueling 21-day Operation Black Forest in the Karreguttalu hills resulted in the deaths of 31 Maoists, including select bigwigs with combined bounties totaling Rs 1.72 crores. Meanwhile, another 27 Maoists, including the elusive Basavaraju - whose price on the head was a staggering Rs 10 crores - were gunned down in the dense jungles nearby. A stark departure from their usual practice, the Maoists left all 27 bodies behind.
The authorities had the upper hand in this operation, thanks to their intelligence network. Over 1,100 personnel of the District Reserve Guard (DRG), including surrendered Maoists familiar with the terrain, played a crucial role. Alongside the CRPF's COBRA unit, the BSF, and ITBP, they carried out several anti-Naxal operations, inflicting heavy casualties on the Maoists in recent years.
In this particular encounter, DRG personnel made contact with the Maoists after 50 hours, following a volley of gunfire in the early hours of May 21. The fierce battle that ensued led to Basavaraju's and 26 others' deaths. Interestingly, the security layers around Basavaraju seemed to have been breached, suggesting that many may not have escaped.
Basavaraju, a Warangal engineering graduate, was a formidable strategist, orchestrating attacks on security forces that resulted in heavy casualties. His strategic prowess earned him the central military commission chief position, where he planned and executed attacks on the CRPF personnel in Dantewada in April 2010 and Jeeram Ghati in May 2013.
Born as Nambala Keshava Rao in Srikakulam, Basavaraju joined the CPI (Marxist-Leninist) People's War Group in the early '80s. Following the merger with the Maoist Communist Centre in 2004, he quickly rose through the ranks and became an essential member of the new CPI (Maoist). Known for his aggressive and ruthless approach, Basavaraju commanded the People's Liberation Guerilla Army and led attacks on security forces.
With Basavaraju's death, the Maoist outfit faces a possible leadership vacuum, but potential contenders such as Tipri Tirupati, Mallujola Venugopal, and former Maoist spokesman Abhay are jostling for the coveted position. While the Maoist outfit appears to be in disarray, their morale is at an all-time low. The authorities must intensify their intelligence efforts, locating, and neutralizing any potential reemergence of the Maoists.
The loss of life due to Maoist violence is staggering, with the South Asia Terrorism Portal recording over 5,500 incidents of violence between 2000 and 2025, resulting in 4,105 civilian deaths, 2,708 security force fatalities, and 4,816 Maoist casualties. However, with developments such as the construction of roads, the opening of schools and health centers, and the installation of mobile towers in formerly isolated areas, progress seems to be finally making its way to the affected communities.
The recent string of operations against Maoists in various regions, such as the Karreguttalu hills and jungles near Dantewada, Bijapur, and Narayanpur districts, highlights the convergence of war-and-conflicts, politics, and general-news. With the elimination of high-ranking Maoist leaders like Basavaraju, whose death marked a significant blow to the Maoist outfit, crime-and-justice also enters the narrative.
