Odisha Maoist Leader's Death Marks End of Era for Rebel Activities
Image Source: Internet
In a major blow to Maoist activities in Odisha, security forces have killed Ganesh Uike, a top rebel leader, in an encounter in Kandhamal district. The 69-year-old Uike, who was carrying a ₹1.1 crore bounty, was shot dead in a dense forest along with three of his associates. According to officials, Uike was caught off guard despite being accompanied by his associates. The biting cold in Kandhamal, with temperatures dropping below three degrees Celsius, likely aided security forces in neutralising the group. Uike, a central committee member of the Maoist outfit, had taken charge of Odisha operations in December 2024. He had previously headed the Karnataka-Kerala-Tamil Nadu south regional bureau and was promoted to the central committee in 2020. Known by various names, Uike was a native of Telangana's Nalgonda district. He had been instrumental in reviving Maoist activities in the erstwhile areas of top naxal leader Sabyasachi Panda, who is currently serving a life sentence in Berhampur jail. Uike's death has been hailed as a significant victory for security forces, with the Director General of Police (DGP) Y B Khurania stating that it has broken the backbone of Maoist activities in Odisha. The Maoist outfit is now left without a senior leader, following the death of Modem Balakrishna in an encounter with security forces in Chhattisgarh's Gariyaband district in September. Uike was involved in armed squad operations, cadre recruitment, and forest-based movements for nearly a decade along the Odisha-Chhattisgarh-Maharashtra corridor. However, his expertise in forest operations failed in the Kandhamal-Ganjam border area, leading to his neutralisation.
