In a significant blow to left-wing extremism, a top Maoist commander carrying a collective bounty of Rs 1.1 crore was killed in a security operation in Odisha's Kandhamal district on Thursday. The elusive leader, Paka Hanumanthu, better known as Ganesh Uike, a 69-year-old central committee member of the banned CPI (Maoist), refused to surrender and was neutralized along with three other cadres.
The Dawn Operation and Key Details
The encounter took place before dawn in the forested, hilly terrain of Kandhamal, a region bordering Chhattisgarh. Security forces recovered four bodies—two men and two women—all in uniform. The weapons seized included two INSAS rifles and a .303 rifle. Kandhamal SP Harish BC confirmed Ganesh's identity was verified, while the identities of the other three are being established.
This operation followed the killing of two other Maoists, including an area committee member, just a day earlier in the same district, bringing the total rebel fatalities in Kandhamal to six within 24 hours. Police stated that credible intelligence, partly gleaned from 22 Maoists who surrendered in Malkangiri district on December 22, was crucial in tracking Ganesh's movements.
A Veteran Insurgent's Long Career and Violent Legacy
Ganesh Uike was a veteran of over four decades underground. Security agencies linked him to several major attacks, most notably the deadly May 2013 Jhiram Ghati ambush in Chhattisgarh's Sukma district. In that attack, a convoy of Congress functionaries was targeted, resulting in at least 27 deaths on the spot and 34 injuries. This episode kept him high on the most-wanted lists across Maoist-affected states.
Born in Pullemla village of Telangana's Nalgonda district, he left his BSc studies unfinished in 1982 and went underground. Operating under aliases like Rupa, Rajesh Tiwari, and Chamu, he rose to become an organiser and commander in West Bastar, Chhattisgarh. He was fluent in Telugu, Hindi, Gondi, and English. Known for his stamina, he could walk for hours and often used the disguise of a swamiji (ascetic) with a stick and towel to evade capture.
Strategic Setback and Government Resolve
Ganesh's death marks the first neutralization of a Maoist central committee member in Odisha. He had taken charge as the Odisha in-charge only in October 2023, following the killing of the previous in-charge, Modem Balakrishna. His focus was on reviving activities in the Kalahandi–Rayagada–Kandhamal–Boudh–Nayagarh axis. Just about ten days before his death, he had visited Kandhamal to rebuild cadres.
Odisha DGP YB Khurania termed the operation a "major achievement" and a "big setback" for the insurgency, stating it has left the outfit leaderless in the state. Union Home Minister Amit Shah hailed the operation as a "turning point" and a "significant milestone towards a Naxal-free Bharat." Reiterating the government's resolve, Shah's office stated the aim is to eliminate Naxalism before March 31, 2026.
Police sources noted that Ganesh had shown no intention to surrender. In recent months, he had publicly criticized a central committee colleague for surrendering and insisted the movement would continue. He carried individual bounties of Rs 40 lakh in Chhattisgarh and Rs 25 lakh each in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.
