Inside the Hunt for Basavaraju: How Chhattisgarh Forces Tracked and Killed Top Maoist

In what is being hailed as one of the most significant anti-Naxal victories in recent years, Nambala Keshav Rao—infamously known as Basavaraju and the top commander of the CPI (Maoist)—was gunned down by elite security forces in a high-octane encounter deep inside Chhattisgarh’s dreaded Abujhmad jungles.

The operation, which unfolded over multiple districts and months of intelligence gathering, came to a dramatic end on Wednesday morning after a chance face-off between a DRG jawan and a Maoist sentry triggered a deadly 30-minute gunfight.

How a Silent Chase Led to the Death of India’s Most Feared Maoist

For years, Abujhmad's unforgiving terrain and dense forests shielded the top brass of the Maoist movement. But 2024 marked a turning point. The anti-Naxal wing of Narayanpur Police, under SP Prabhat Kumar, began methodically dismantling the secrecy surrounding senior Maoist leaders’ hideouts.

“We focused on surrendered Maoists—especially those from Company No. 7, the elite unit tasked with protecting Basavaraju,” said a senior officer. "Each confession was a breadcrumb."

Despite false trails and deceptive testimonies, the team never abandoned a single lead. Operation after operation, they shrank the Maoists’ stronghold in Abujhmad.

The Final Countdown: Intelligence, Instinct, and a Knife-Edge Encounter

The breakthrough came not from high-tech surveillance but a local tip-off. Acting swiftly, four District Reserve Guard (DRG) units mobilized from Narayanpur, Dantewada, and Bijapur districts. After narrowly missing Basavaraju on Monday, teams regrouped and camped silently under the jungle canopy Tuesday night.

Unbeknownst to them, Basavaraju—flanked by 25 armed cadres and another top Maoist leader—had also taken shelter barely a kilometer away.

At 7 am Wednesday, fate intervened. A patrolling Maoist sentry stumbled upon a DRG jawan, sparking a brutal scuffle. A shot fired in the chaos alerted both sides—and the forest erupted into war.

As Maoists fled south, they ran into another DRG team. Trapped, they retreated north—only to encounter the elite Eagle unit. On a small rocky plateau, the Maoists formed a tight defensive ring around a figure the DRG instinctively knew was high-value.

30 Minutes, 300 Rounds, One Fallen Commander

Under a storm of bullets, the DRG teams scaled the plateau. Around 300 rounds were fired in a battle that lasted half an hour. When the dust settled, a former Maoist-turned-DRG jawan, once part of Company 7, recognized the slain leader immediately—Basavaraju was dead.

“As soon as he fell, the Maoists raised slogans—'Laal Salam, PLGA Zindabad'—then scattered. But we surrounded them. All were neutralized,” said the officer.

Who Was Basavaraju?

A veteran insurgent and mastermind of several deadly ambushes, Basavaraju was considered the CPI (Maoist)’s most senior operational commander after the death of Kishanji. His leadership had long eluded India’s security forces—until now.

What This Means for the Anti-Naxal Operation

Basavaraju's death is a psychological and strategic blow to the Maoist movement, especially in Chhattisgarh's Bastar region. It is also symbolic—proof that years of groundwork, trust-building with surrendered cadres, and adaptive field intelligence can dismantle even the most deeply entrenched insurgent networks.

“This wasn’t just a gunfight. It was the culmination of hundreds of hours of planning, interrogation, and fieldwork. We never thought the day would come when Basavaraju would fall like this,” said the officer, visibly moved.

Also Read: Chhattisgarh’s Anti-Naxal Strategy Pays Off: DRG Nails Maoist Leadership