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26 Dec 2025·Source: The Indian Express
2 min
Polity & GovernancePolity & GovernanceNEWS

Odisha Encounter Eliminates Top Maoist with ₹1 Crore Bounty

Six Maoists, including a top leader with a ₹1 crore bounty, killed in Odisha encounter.

Odisha Encounter Eliminates Top Maoist with ₹1 Crore Bounty

Photo by Adhitya Sibikumar

In a significant breakthrough for internal security, six Maoists, including a top leader identified as Paka Hanumanthu (alias Ganesh), were killed in an encounter in Odisha. Ganesh, a 67-year-old from Telangana, was a Central Committee member of the outlawed CPI (Maoist) and carried a reward of ₹1 crore.

The Union Home Ministry hailed this as a "significant milestone towards Naxal-free Bharat," indicating Odisha is on the verge of becoming Naxal-free. This incident underscores the ongoing efforts by security forces to counter left-wing extremism and its impact on affected regions.

मुख्य तथ्य

1.

Six Maoists killed in Odisha encounter

2.

Top Maoist leader Paka Hanumanthu (alias Ganesh) killed

3.

Ganesh carried a ₹1 crore reward

4.

Ganesh was a Central Committee member of CPI (Maoist)

5.

Union Home Ministry called it a 'significant milestone towards Naxal-free Bharat'

UPSC परीक्षा के दृष्टिकोण

1.

Internal Security challenges: LWE as a major threat.

2.

Government policies and strategies to counter LWE (SAMADHAN, surrender policies, development initiatives).

3.

Constitutional provisions related to law and order, federal structure in security management.

4.

Role of various security forces (CRPF, State Police) and intelligence agencies.

5.

Socio-economic factors contributing to LWE and government's developmental response.

6.

Geographical spread and shrinking footprint of LWE.

दृश्य सामग्री

LWE Affected Districts & Odisha Encounter (December 2025)

This map illustrates the current LWE affected districts in India, highlighting the 'Red Corridor' states. The recent encounter in Odisha, eliminating a top Maoist leader, signifies a major step towards achieving a 'Naxal-free Bharat' by 2025, as stated by the Union Home Ministry. The map shows the shrinking geographical footprint of LWE.

Loading interactive map...

📍Odisha📍Chhattisgarh📍Jharkhand📍Bihar📍Maharashtra📍Telangana📍Andhra Pradesh
और जानकारी

पृष्ठभूमि

Left-Wing Extremism (LWE), commonly known as Naxalism, originated in the Naxalbari village of West Bengal in 1967. It is rooted in socio-economic grievances, land disputes, exploitation of tribal communities, and perceived state neglect. Over decades, it spread across the 'Red Corridor' in central and eastern India, posing a significant internal security challenge. The Communist Party of India (Maoist) is the most prominent LWE group, designated as a terrorist organization.

नवीनतम घटनाक्रम

The recent encounter in Odisha, resulting in the elimination of a top CPI (Maoist) leader with a substantial bounty, signifies a major success for security forces. This incident is part of the government's intensified efforts, including the 'SAMADHAN' strategy, to curb LWE. The Union Home Ministry's statement about Odisha nearing 'Naxal-free' status indicates a positive trend in affected regions, reflecting improved intelligence, coordinated operations, and developmental interventions.

बहुविकल्पीय प्रश्न (MCQ)

1. Consider the following statements regarding Left Wing Extremism (LWE) in India: 1. The 'SAMADHAN' doctrine outlines a multi-pronged strategy encompassing Smart Leadership, Aggressive Strategy, Motivation and Training, Actionable Intelligence, Dashboard-based KPIs, Harnessing Technology, Action Plan for each Theatre, and No access to Financing. 2. The term 'Red Corridor' primarily refers to the geographical region in India characterized by significant Naxalite-Maoist insurgency. 3. The Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), 1967, empowers the Central Government to declare an organization as a 'terrorist organization'. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

उत्तर देखें

सही उत्तर: D

Statement 1 correctly describes the 'SAMADHAN' doctrine, which is a comprehensive strategy adopted by the government to tackle LWE. Statement 2 accurately defines the 'Red Corridor' in the context of LWE. Statement 3 correctly states that UAPA empowers the Central Government to designate organizations as 'terrorist organizations', which is how CPI (Maoist) is outlawed. All three statements are correct.

2. Which of the following statements is NOT correct regarding the institutional and legal framework to counter Left Wing Extremism (LWE) in India?

उत्तर देखें

सही उत्तर: C

Statement A is correct: Law and order is a State subject, but the Centre provides significant support. Statement B is correct: MHA is indeed the nodal ministry. Statement D is correct: CRPF is a key force in LWE areas. Statement C is NOT correct. While the Centre supports and issues guidelines for 'Surrender-cum-Rehabilitation Policy', its implementation often involves state-specific policies and schemes, which are tailored to local conditions and are not uniformly and directly implemented by MHA across all states. States have their own rehabilitation policies, often with central assistance.

3. In the context of the historical evolution of Left Wing Extremism in India, consider the following statements: I. The Naxalite movement originated in the Naxalbari village of West Bengal in the late 1960s, primarily driven by agrarian discontent. II. The 'Operation Green Hunt' was a major anti-Naxal operation launched by the Indian government in the early 2000s, involving large-scale deployment of security forces. III. The Communist Party of India (Maoist) was formed by the merger of the People's War Group (PWG) and the Maoist Communist Centre of India (MCC) in 2004. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

उत्तर देखें

सही उत्तर: D

Statement I is correct. The Naxalite movement indeed began in Naxalbari, West Bengal, in 1967, fueled by issues of land rights and exploitation of peasants. Statement II is correct. 'Operation Green Hunt' was a significant anti-Naxal offensive launched in 2009, involving central and state forces. Statement III is correct. The CPI (Maoist) was formed in 2004 through the merger of the Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) People's War (PWG) and the Maoist Communist Centre (MCC). All three statements are historically accurate.

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