Odisha: Security forces killed four Maoists, including senior central committee member Paka Hanumanthu alias Ganesh Uike, in a Maoist encounter Odisha witnessed in the Gumma forest area of Kandhamal district, police said on Thursday.
According to officials, the encounter took place during a combing operation in the dense forest region of Kandhamal. Security forces exchanged fire with armed Maoist cadres, leading to the deaths. Police later confirmed that Ganesh Uike, a key Maoist leader with a reward of ₹1.10 crore on his head, was among those killed.
Ganesh Uike hailed from Pullemla village in Chandur mandal of Nalgonda district in Telangana, officials said. He operated across Odisha, Chhattisgarh and neighbouring regions as a central committee member of the banned outfit. Following the encounter, security personnel recovered arms and ammunition from the site, indicating the presence of a heavily armed Maoist squad.
Meanwhile, security forces intensified search operations along the Odisha–Chhattisgarh border. Officials said the combing exercise aimed to trace any remaining Maoist members who may have escaped during the exchange of fire. Additional forces were deployed to prevent regrouping in the forest corridor.
Police described the operation as a major success in weakening Maoist leadership in the region. They added that sustained pressure had limited the movement of senior cadres in recent months.
Maoist encounter Odisha exposes long militant career of Ganesh Uike
Ganesh Uike was born in 1961 to Paka Chandrayya and Papamma. He was the eldest among six siblings, with three sisters and two younger brothers. During his student years, he studied Class 10 in Chandur and pursued intermediate and degree courses in Nalgonda.
While studying, he became actively involved in radical student and labour unions. About 45 years ago, he played a key role in the murder of Aechuri Srinivas, according to police records. After that incident, he went underground and formally joined the Naxalite movement.
From then on, he never returned home, even during the deaths of his parents, family members said. Over the years, he rose through the ranks from mandal committee member to district and state-level leader. Eventually, he became a central committee member overseeing Maoist operations across three states.
Family members said Ganesh Uike embraced communist ideology from a young age. His father worked with the CPM, which influenced his political leanings early in life. In recent years, officials said, he suffered from health issues but continued to remain active in the organisation.
Police said the encounter marked a significant blow to Maoist operations in eastern India. They reiterated that security forces would continue area domination and intelligence-based operations to prevent any resurgence.
