Bijapur, May 21 (HS): On Wednesday morning, in a shootout in the Boter area of Abujhmad, Chhattisgarh, the nation’s most wanted Naxalite, Nambala Keshav Rao, also known as Basaw Raju, was killed by members of the District Reserve Guard (DRG). This significant achievement for security forces represents a major milestone in the fight against Naxalism in Chhattisgarh, as Keshav Rao had been an ongoing target for security agencies across the country.

Keshav Rao was implicated in the planning and execution of notorious attacks, including the ambush that led to the deaths of 76 Central Reserve Police Force personnel in April 2010 and the Jheeram Valley attack on Congress leaders in May 2013, which resulted in multiple fatalities. Assuming leadership of the CPI (Maoist) in 2018, Raju was a significant figure in Naxal operations across at least five states, making him a persistent threat to national security.

Born in Jiannapeta of Andhra Pradesh, Keshav Rao was nearly 70 years old and had been involved in Naxalite activities for about 35 years. He was known for his education, having studied engineering at the National Institute of Technology (NIT) Warangal, and was regarded as one of the organization’s most strategically minded leaders. Before his shift to extremist ideologies, Raju was an accomplished athlete who played Kabaddi.

The elimination of Basaw Raju is being celebrated as a substantial blow to Naxalism. Chhattisgarh’s Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma noted that this action greatly impacts the top leadership of the Naxalite organization. Chief Minister Vishnu Dev Sai and former Chief Minister Dr. Raman Singh praised the security forces for their courage and success in combating Naxalism, indicating that operations have resulted in the deaths of over 27 Naxalites, marking a decisive step towards eradication of the movement.

Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar