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Chhattisgarh Encounter: Who was Basava Raju, top Maoist man killed in Abujhmad encounter?

Chhattisgarh Top Naxal Commander Basava Raju Encounter: Basava Raju was known as an explosives expert who prepared deadly IEDs used to ambush security forces, and was the NIA’s most wanted man with a reward of over Rs 1 crore

The operation was undertaken based on information that a senior Maoist leader was hiding in a specific area in Abujhmad.

Abujhmad Maoist Encounter Explained: In a major breakthrough in the fight against Left Wing Extremism, security forces have gunned down top Maoist leader Nambala Keshav Rao, popularly known as Basava Raju. He is one of the 26 Naxals killed in the encounter in Abujhmad, Chhattisgarh.

Basava Raju succeeded Ganapathy as CPI (Maoist) general secretary in 2018. Ganapathy or Muppala Lakshman Rao was the first general secretary after the People’s War and MCC merged in 2004 to form the CPI (Maoist). He is believed to have fled to the Philippines.

Basava Raju, who graduated from REC Warangal, is around 70. He is best known for leading the attacks in which Maoist killed 76 CRPF personnel at Chintalnar, and for ambushing a Congress convoy at Jhiram Ghati in which state party leaders were stabbed and gunned down.

He hails from Srikakulam district of Andhra Pradesh and was attracted to the CPI(ML) People’s War Group from an early age. He eventually joined it in the early 1980s.

Prior to getting attracted to Maoist ideology, Basava Raju was a kabaddi player in school and junior college. He was known to be one of the most academically accomplished Naxal leaders, with a B.Tech degree from the National Institute of Technology, Warangal.

Basava Raju was heading the CPI (Maoist) Military Commission when, in November 2018, he was asked to take over as the General Secretary after the resignation of Ganapathy.

Keshava Rao graduated at a time when the NIT, which was earlier known as Regional Engineering College (REC), had become a fountainhead of Maoist ideology and many students who studied at the institute went on to join the Maoist movement.

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He is known to have hobnobbed with other guerrilla movements like the LTTE and worked extensively in Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, and Chhattisgarh.

He was also known as an explosives expert who prepared deadly IEDs used to ambush security forces, and was the NIA’s most wanted man with a reward of over Rs 1 crore.

The killing of Araku Telugu Desam Party MLA Kidari Sarveswara Rao and ex-MLA Siveri Soma on September 23, 2018, by the Maoists is attributed to a plan set in motion by Basvaraj.

What is the Abujhmad encounter?

According to sources, the operation by the District Reserve Guard (DRG) from four districts of Narayanpur, Dantewada, Bijapur and Kondagaon was undertaken based on information that a senior Maoist leader was hiding in a specific area in Abujhmad.

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The Abujhmad is unsurveyed land larger than the state of Goa. While a large part of it is in Narayanpur, it also extends to Bijapur, Dantewada, Kanker and Maharashtra’s Gadchiroli district.

Sreenivas Janyala

Sreenivas Janyala is a Deputy Associate Editor at The Indian Express, where he serves as one of the most authoritative voices on the socio-political and economic landscape of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. With a career spanning over two decades in mainstream journalism, he provides deep-dive analysis and frontline reporting on the intricate dynamics of South Indian governance. Expertise and Experience Regional Specialization: Based in Hyderabad, Sreenivas has spent more than 20 years documenting the evolution of the Telugu-speaking states. His reporting was foundational during the historic Telangana statehood movement and continues to track the post-bifurcation development of both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. Key Coverage Beats: His extensive portfolio covers a vast spectrum of critical issues: High-Stakes Politics: Comprehensive tracking of regional powerhouses (BRS, TDP, YSRCP, and Congress), electoral shifts, and the political careers of figures like K. Chandrashekar Rao, Chandrababu Naidu, and Jagan Mohan Reddy. Internal Security & Conflict: Authoritative reporting on Left-Wing Extremism (LWE), the decline of the Maoist movement in former hotbeds, and intelligence-led investigations into regional security modules. Governance & Infrastructure: Detailed analysis of massive irrigation projects (like Kaleshwaram and Polavaram), capital city developments (Amaravati), and the implementation of state welfare schemes. Crisis & Health Reporting: Led the publication's ground-level coverage of the Covid-19 pandemic in South India and major industrial incidents, such as the Vizag gas leak. Analytical Depth: Beyond daily news, Sreenivas is known for his "Explained" pieces that demystify complex regional disputes, such as river water sharing and judicial allocations between the sister states. ... Read More

Jayprakash S Naidu

Jayprakash S Naidu is a Principal Correspondent for The Indian Express, currently serving as the state correspondent for Chhattisgarh. With an extensive career in frontline journalism, he reports on the political, security, and humanitarian landscape of Central India. Expertise and Experience Specialized Conflict Reporting: Jayprakash is a leading voice on the Maoist/Naxalite conflict in the Bastar region. His reporting provides a critical, ground-level view of: Internal Security: Tracking high-stakes encounters, surrender programs for senior Maoist leaders, and the establishment of security camps in formerly inaccessible "heartland" villages. Tribal Rights & Displacement: Investigative reporting on the identity and land struggles of thousands of displaced tribals fleeing conflict zones for neighboring states. Governance & Bureaucratic Analysis: He consistently monitors the evolution of Chhattisgarh as it marks 25 years of statehood, covering: Electoral Politics: Analyzing the shift in power between the BJP and Congress and the impact of regional tribal movements. Public Policy: Reporting on landmark infrastructure projects (e.g., mobile connectivity in remote zones) and judicial interventions, such as High Court rulings on civil and family law. Diverse Investigative Background: Prior to his current focus on Chhattisgarh, Jayprakash held reported from Maharashtra, where he specialized in: Crisis & Disaster Management: Notable for his extensive coverage of the Cyclone Tauktae barge tragedy (P-305) and the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on frontline personnel. Legal & Human Rights: Investigative pieces for platforms like Article-14, focusing on police accountability and custodial deaths across India. Environmental & Social Justice: Authoritative reporting on the Hasdeo Aranya forest protests and the approval of major tiger reserves, highlighting the tension between industrial mining and environmental preservation. ... Read More