Union Home Minister Amit Shah hailed a ‘significant milestone’ in India’s anti-Naxalite mission after security teams carried out a joint operation in Odisha’s Kandhamal district that resulted in the killing
of six Maoists during a two-day combing exercise.
On Wednesday, two Maoists were killed in an exchange of fire in the Gumma forest area under the Belghar police station limits. On Thursday, four more Maoists – including CPI (Maoist) central committee member Ganesh Uike – were neutralised during another encounter in the Narig Jholla forest area under the Chakapad police station.
“A significant milestone towards Naxal-free Bharat. In a major operation in Kandhmal, Odisha, 6 Naxalites, including Central Committee Member Ganesh Uike, have been neutralised so far,” Amit Shah wrote in a statement by the Home Minister’s Office.
“With this major breakthrough, Odisha stands at the threshold of becoming completely free from Naxalism. We are resolved to eliminate Naxalism before the 31st of March 2026,” he added.
A significant milestone towards Naxal-free Bharat.
In a major operation in Kandhmal, Odisha, 6 Naxalites, including Central Committee Member Ganesh Uike, have been neutralized so far.
With this major breakthrough, Odisha stands at the threshold of becoming completely free from…
— गृहमंत्री कार्यालय, HMO India (@HMOIndia) December 25, 2025
Acting on specific inputs from the Special Intelligence Wing (SIW), security forces launched a joint operation involving 23 teams, 20 Special Operations Group (SOG) teams, two CRPF teams, and one BSF team across the Chakapad police station area of Kandhamal and adjoining parts of Ganjam district in the Rambha forest range.
Multiple exchanges of fire were reported on the morning of December 25, 2025, at several locations involving SOG teams. Uike, the head of Maoist operations in Odisha, was killed alongside three others in the gunbattle in a forest in the Chakapad police station area.
“Two Maoists were gunned down on Wednesday, and four were neutralised this morning. The killing of a central committee member is a big success for Odisha Police. It has broken the backbone of the Maoists in the state,” said DGP Y B Khurania.
“This is one of the biggest operations against Maoists in Odisha in recent times. We thank the security personnel involved in the operation. We are determined to meet Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s target of eliminating Naxalism by March 2026,” he added.
(with inputs from PTI)
