The banned Communist Party of India (Maoist) has suffered another critical blow to its already depleted top leadership with the killing of a senior central committee member in an encounter. Security agencies report that the outfit's highest decision-making body is now reduced to a mere handful of active members, signaling a severe weakening of its national structure.
Top Leader Eliminated in Odisha Encounter
According to anti-Naxal intelligence agencies from Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, Paka Hanumanthu, alias Ganesh Uike, was killed in an encounter in Odisha on Thursday. Hanumanthu, a native of Telangana, had risen to become a central committee member and the secretary of the Odisha state committee. His death represents a significant loss for the organization, removing one of its most experienced surviving leaders from the field.
This incident is part of a sustained attrition of the Maoist leadership over recent years, caused by a combination of security force operations, arrests, surrenders, and health issues. Officials noted that this erosion accelerated in 2025 during 'Operation Kagar', a concerted push by security forces.
A Drastically Shrinking Central Committee
With Hanumanthu's elimination, the Maoist central committee is now largely confined to Telangana and Jharkhand. The remaining leaders are operating from small, fragmented pockets rather than large, cohesive zones of control they once commanded.
Intelligence sources reveal that only around six senior central committee figures are currently active across the country. The once-powerful leadership structure has been hollowed out, forcing a major shift in operational command.
Ganapathi Steps Back, Devji Takes Operational Helm
One of the most notable figures among the surviving leaders is Muppala Lakshman Rao, alias Ganapathi, the former general secretary of the CPI (Maoist). However, security agencies confirm that Ganapathi is no longer operational. He has reportedly stepped away from day-to-day organizational responsibilities and is believed to be living under shelter at an undisclosed location, offering only informal guidance.
Operational control is now believed to have shifted to Thippiri Tirupathi, alias Devji, a long-time central committee member from Telangana. Devji was tipped to assume a larger role after the encounter killing of another top leader, Nambala Keshav Rao (Basavraj). Sources indicate Devji is currently positioned along the Chhattisgarh-Telangana border, accompanied by Damodar (Telangana state committee secretary) and remnants of a People's Liberation Guerrilla Army (PLGA) battalion. This belt remains a critical zone due to its history as a transit corridor and refuge for senior leaders.
Other Key Leaders Still at Large
Another senior leader evading capture is Malla Raji Reddy, alias Sangram, believed to be operating from forested areas within a national park in Chhattisgarh. Following Hanumanthu's killing, Chhattisgarh police are expected to intensify operations in and around this park region to track him down.
Currently, Jharkhand hosts the largest remaining hub of central committee leadership. Security inputs place the following leaders in the Saranda region and adjoining forests:
- Misir Besra
- Pathiram Manjhi, alias Anal Da
- Pusunuri Narahari, alias Tech Viswanath (an alternative central committee member)
An Andhra Pradesh intelligence source added that Lalchand Hemram, alias Anmol Da, is also part of the central committee. All these individuals are said to possess extensive experience in both military and organizational roles within the Maoist movement.
The continued pressure from security forces across multiple states has boxed the remaining Maoist leadership into smaller geographical areas, severely limiting their ability to coordinate large-scale activities and posing an existential threat to the decades-old insurgent movement.
