Bhubaneswar, Dec 25: Dreaded Maoist commander Ganesh Uike, a central committee member of the CPI (Maoist) and one of India’s most wanted insurgents, was killed in an encounter in Odisha’s Kandhamal-Ganjam border region on Thursday, police said.

The operation, jointly conducted by Odisha Police’s Special Operations Group (SOG), the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), and the Border Security Force (BSF), took place in the dense Rampa forest following specific intelligence inputs. Four Maoists, including two women cadres, were also neutralised in the exchange of fire.

Uike, a native of Nalgonda district in Telangana, had been active in the Maoist movement for nearly four decades. Known within the organisation by the alias P. Hanumanta, he rose to the central committee of the banned outfit, underscoring his strategic importance.

He is widely regarded as the mastermind behind the 2013 Jhiram Ghati massacre in Chhattisgarh, which claimed the lives of several senior Congress leaders. Over the years, Uike coordinated multiple high-profile attacks across states, cementing his reputation as a key figure in Maoist operations.

For the past three years, Uike had been operating in Odisha’s Kandhamal region, strengthening guerrilla networks and directing insurgent activities. His death is being seen as a significant setback to the Maoist leadership structure.

DIG (Naxal Operations) Akhileshwar Singh confirmed the development, stating that combing operations are continuing to ensure no further Maoist presence in the area.

Earlier, Union Home Minister Amit Shah asserted that Left-Wing Extremism will be eradicated by March 2026. The elimination of Uike, who carried a bounty of Rs1 crore, marks another milestone in intensified counter-insurgency operations that have, in recent years, led to both the neutralisation of top leaders and a surge in surrenders.

Security analysts believe Uike’s death will weaken Maoist morale and disrupt organisational cohesion, though sporadic resistance may continue in remote forested regions.