In a major success for security forces, top Naxal leader Bhaskar, carrying a combined bounty of Rs 45 lakh, was killed in an encounter in the Indravati National Park area of Bijapur district. The operation, involving the Special Task Force (STF), District Reserve Guard (DRG), and the CRPF’s CoBRA unit, is part of intensified efforts to dismantle Maoist activities in the region.
According to Inspector General of Police, Bastar Range Sundarraj, Bhaskar’s body was recovered after a fierce exchange of fire along with one AK-47 rifle, explosives, weapons, and ammunition. Preliminary identification confirms the deceased as Bhaskar, also known as Mailarapu Adellu, a special zonal committee member of the Telangana State Committee (TSC) of the outlawed Communist Party of India (Maoist).
Bhaskar, originally from Adilabad district in Telangana, served as the secretary of the Mancherial-Komarambheem division of the TSC. He carried a reward of Rs 25 lakh in Chhattisgarh and Rs 20 lakh in Telangana, making his elimination a significant blow to Maoist operations across state lines.
This encounter marks the third major achievement by security forces in the past two weeks amid an ongoing crackdown aimed at ending the Naxal menace by March 2026. Just a day prior, another senior Maoist leader, Narasimha Chalam alias Sudhakar, with a bounty of Rs 40 lakh, was killed in the same region. Sudhakar, originally from Andhra Pradesh, was notorious for indoctrinating youth and orchestrating deadly attacks against civilians and security personnel in Chhattisgarh.
Earlier on May 21, security forces neutralised the Communist Party of India (Maoist) general secretary, Nambala Keshav Rao alias Basavaraju, in Narayanpur, Bastar region. These successive operations underscore the government’s commitment to restoring peace and security in Naxal-affected areas through coordinated and sustained action.
