Maoist Leader Basavaraju’s Death: A Turning Point in India’s Anti-Naxal War

Between 2000 and 2024, approximately 2,692 security personnel have lost their lives in Naxalite-related violence across India. This figure is based on data compiled by the South Asia Terrorism Portal (SATP), which monitors casualties resulting from the Naxalite–Maoist insurgency.

The year 2010 was particularly deadly, with 267 security personnel killed, marking one of the highest annual tolls. Notably, the April 2010 Dantewada attack resulted in the deaths of 76 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel, making it the deadliest single incident for Indian security forces in the history of the insurgency.

Top Naxalite leader Basavaraju, the General Secretary of CPI (Maoist), was killed in a major counter-insurgency operation in Chhattisgarh on May 21, 2025. This marks the first time in decades that such a high-ranking Maoist commander has been neutralized.

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Who Was Basavaraju?

Nambala Keshav Rao, widely known as Basavaraju, was the General Secretary of the banned Communist Party of India (Maoist) and a top-most figure in India’s Naxalite insurgency. Around 70–71 years old at the time of his death, he was born in a small village in the Srikakulam district of Andhra Pradesh.

An academically bright student, he completed his B.Tech. degree from Regional Engineering College in Warangal (now NIT Warangal). During his student days, he was drawn into radical leftist ideology through the Radical Students Union and fully immersed himself into Maoist ideology. By the mid-1980s, he had gone underground to become a full-time guerrilla, a life he would never abandon for the next four decades.

His Rise in the Maoist Hierarchy

Basavaraju quickly earned a reputation for being a hardline ideologue and a master strategist in jungle warfare. In the late 1980s, he, along with other top leaders like Ganapathy and Kishenji, received training from former LTTE fighters in guerrilla tactics and explosives. By 1992, he was inducted into the CPI (Maoist)’s Central Committee and rose to become chief of the Central Military Commission (CMC)—the guerrilla army’s command center.

In 2017–18, following the retirement of Muppala Lakshmana Rao (alias Ganapathy), Basavaraju was appointed General Secretary, making him the most powerful figure in the Maoist chain of command. He directed both the military and ideological framework of the insurgency.

The Mastermind Behind Deadly Attacks

Basavaraju was responsible for planning and executing some of the most lethal Maoist attacks in India:

• 2010 Dantewada Massacre: An ambush that killed 74 CRPF jawans. 
• 2008 Balimela Landmine Blast: 37 Greyhounds commandos were killed on the Andhra-Odisha border. 
• 2003 Attack on CM Chandrababu Naidu: He narrowly survived a targeted landmine blast. 
• 2013 Darbha Valley Attack: Killed 27, including top Congress leaders in Chhattisgarh. 
• 2020 Minpa Ambush & 2021 Tekulgudem Encounter: Claimed dozens of security personnel lives. 

His ability to evade capture and operate invisibly made him India’s most wanted Maoist. There were no recent photographs of him, and he carried bounties totaling over ₹1 crore from several states.

Operation Black Forest: The Encounter That Changed Everything

Security agencies received specific intelligence that Basavaraju and other senior Maoist leaders were camping in the remote Abujhmad forests of Chhattisgarh’s Narayanpur district. A massive 72-hour joint operation was launched, code-named “Operation Black Forest.”

The operation began on May 20, 2025, and saw fierce gunfights near the Karreguttalu Hills in the tri-junction of Narayanpur, Dantewada, and Bijapur districts. The operation was led by Chhattisgarh’s elite District Reserve Guard (DRG)—comprising local tribal youth and surrendered Maoists—and backed by state police and paramilitary forces.

Heavy exchanges of gunfire took place in the dense forests. The Maoists, including Basavaraju’s personal guards, retaliated but were overwhelmed. By May 21, 27 Maoists had been killed, including Basavaraju. A large cache of weapons and explosives was recovered. One DRG jawan also lost his life.

Basavaraju’s identity was confirmed through inputs from surrendered Maoists and forensic methods. Police officials called this the biggest anti-Naxal operation in the Abujhmad area, a region once considered impenetrable.

National and State Response

Union Home Minister Amit Shah hailed the operation as a “landmark achievement,” noting that it was the first time in over three decades a Maoist General Secretary had been neutralized. He also stated that 54 more Maoists had been arrested and 84 had surrendered in connected operations.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised the security forces for their bravery and reiterated the government’s vision to make India Naxal-free by March 2026. He stressed that the administration remains committed to peace and progress in all affected areas.

Chhattisgarh CM Vishnu Deo Sai and Deputy CM Vijay Sharma also praised the DRG’s role, emphasizing that the back of the insurgency has been broken. Sharma confirmed that Basavaraju’s death would accelerate efforts to free Bastar and other regions from Maoism.

The 2026 Goal: Naxal-Free India

The government has steadily reduced LWE-affected districts from 12 to 6. Under SAMADHAN and Lon Varratu programs, the focus has been on both military operations and surrender/rehabilitation. In March 2025, 50 Maoists, including 14 commanders, surrendered in Bijapur.

The dual strategy of “Clear, Hold, and Develop” is being implemented—clearing areas of Maoists, establishing a strong security presence, and investing in infrastructure like roads, schools, and health centers.

Looking Ahead

Security experts agree that Basavaraju’s death leaves a massive leadership vacuum within CPI (Maoist). His loss could significantly demoralize cadres and cripple operational planning. However, caution remains. Intelligence agencies fear potential retaliation or regrouping.

Nevertheless, the morale of security forces is high. With continued surveillance, strategic operations, and developmental outreach, the Indian government is confident that the insurgency’s days are numbered.

Basavaraju’s fall may well go down as the defining moment in India’s decades-long battle against Left-Wing Extremism.