Dranvesh at 02:34, 9 March 2026

2026-03-09T02:34:01Z

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{{Short description|Maoist attack in India}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2025}}
{{Use Indian English|date=May 2025}}
{{Infobox military conflict
| conflict = 2025 Abujhmarh clash
| partof = the [[Naxalite-Maoist insurgency]]
| image =
| image_size =
| caption =
| date = 21 May 2025
| place = [[Abujhmarh]], [[Chhattisgarh]], [[India]]
| territory =
| result = Government victory<ref>{{Cite news|title=Chhattisgarh encounter: Death of Maoist top leader Nambala Keshav Rao deals major blow to Naxalism|url=https://www.deccanherald.com/india/chhattisgarh-encounter-death-of-maoist-top-leader-nambala-keshav-rao-deals-major-blow-to-naxalism-3551133|access-date=2025-05-22|website=Deccan Herald}}</ref>
| combatant1 = {{flagicon image|South Asian Communist Banner.svg}} [[Communist Party of India (Maoist)]]
| combatant2 = {{flag|India}}
| commander1 = {{flagicon image|South Asian Communist Banner.svg}} [[Nambala Keshava Rao]]{{KIA}}
| commander2 = Unknown
| units1 = [[People's Liberation Guerrilla Army (India)|PLGA]]
| units2 = [[District Reserve Guard]]
| strength1 = 35<ref>{{Cite news|title=Basavaraju's death due to 'betrayal' by some in core formations: Naxals|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/basavarajus-death-due-to-betrayal-by-some-in-core-formations-naxals/articleshow/121422461.cms|access-date=2025-05-28|website=[[Times of India]]}}</ref>
| strength2 = 100+
| casualties1 = 28 killed<ref>{{Cite news|title=Top Maoist leader Basava Raju among 27 killed in encounter with security forces in Chhattisgarh|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/india/maoists-dead-encounter-chhattisgarh-abujhmad-narayanpur-10019156/|access-date=2025-05-21|website=[[Indian Express]]}}</ref>
| casualties2 = 1 Killed<br>1 injured<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.patrika.com/en/narayanpur-news/naxal-encounter-27-rebels-killed-in-narayanpur-raju-with-bounty-over-%e2%82%b91-crore-feared-dead-one-jawan-martyred-19613129 |title=Naxal Encounter: 27 rebels killed in Narayanpur, Raju with bounty over ₹1 crore feared dead, one jawan martyred |website=www.patrika.com}}</ref>
| casualties3 =
| notes =
| campaignbox = {{Campaignbox Naxalite insurgency}}
}}

The '''2025 Abujhmarh clash''' was an [[Encounter killing|encounter]] between [[Communist Party of India (Maoist)]] and Indian security forces in the [[Abujhmarh]] forest area in [[Chhattisgarh]], India. It was among the deadliest clashes in the recent history of the [[Naxalite–Maoist insurgency|Naxalite–Maoist insurgency in India]]. The Maoist leader [[Nambala Keshava Rao]], having a combined bounty of ₹3.5 Crore (around US$410,000), was killed in the encounter.<ref>{{Cite news|title=26 Maoists killed in encounter with security forces in Chhattisgarh's Bastar|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/ranchi-news/26-maoists-killed-in-encounter-with-security-forces-in-chhattisgarh-s-bastar-101747809786739.html|access-date=2025-05-21|website=[[Hindustan Times]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-05-21 |title='Brutal revolutionary' behind most audacious Naxal attacks in history: Story & significance of Basavaraju, dreaded Maoist leader allegedly killed in encounter |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/basavaraju-dreaded-maoist-leader-killed-chhattisgarh-10019574/ |access-date=2025-05-21 |website=The Indian Express |language=en}}</ref>

==Background==
Four units of [[District Reserve Guard]] were combing the area of Maad, which is a remote area in Abhujmarh known for its insurgent activity, the forces had already got intelligence indicating presence of top Maoist leaders camping near the area.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=Who Was Basava Raju? Top Naxal Commander Involved In 2010 Dantewada Attack Killed in Narayanpur Encounter |url=https://www.freepressjournal.in/india/who-was-basava-raju-top-naxal-commander-involved-in-2010-dantewada-attack-killed-in-narayanpur-encounter |access-date=2025-05-21 |website=Free Press Journal |language=en}}</ref>

Until 2023, the Abhujmarh forest was safe heaven for Maoists and most senior leadership camped in that area. The Hunt for the top Nambala keshava Rao began months ago, with each cadre surrendering they were thoroughly interrogated by the Intelligence unit to get any information regarding the top leadership. The Cadres of Platoon No.7 which guarded the top leaders, were a top lookout for the Security forces, cadres of this unit know valuable information regarding the leadership and have good navigation ideas of the dense Abhujmarh forest. Many of the Captured/surrendered cadres tried to mislead investigation by giving false statements or twisted inputs but any information regarding the target was noted by the authorities.<ref name=":1" />

==Incident==
On May 20, the day before the encounter, the District Reserve Guard members were searching the Maad area of the Abhujmarh forest for Senior members of the group. The unit could not find them and settled in for the night. Unbeknownst to the DRG, Nambala Keshava Rao and his Platoon No.7 was also spending the night just 1 km ahead of them.

On May 21, at 7 AM a sapper from the Maoists suddenly encountered a DRG soldier searching the area, in a panic moment the maoist bayoneted his rifle into the DRG soldier and in a scuffle of resistance, a shot was fired. The Maoist scattered and ran towards south of the forest but encountered a unit of the Security forces then they ran north and encountered another unit of DRG, Feeling surrounded they made a defensive perimeter around a person in an elevated position and fired. The DRG observing suspected the person was a high value target so they return fire taking out the target. When the target was down, the maoists scattered and ran away but soon all of them were gun downed.<ref name=":1">{{Cite news|title=The inside story of how senior Maoist leader Basavaraju was killed in Abujmad|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/how-a-surrendered-maoist-became-key-link-in-operation-that-killed-basavraju-101748079982324.html|access-date=2025-05-26|website=[[Hindustan Times]]}}</ref>

After the firefight was subsided, a DRG member who was a former maoist and served in the Platoon No.7 identified the killed target as Nambala Keshava Rao alias Basavraj who is the General-Seceretary of the CPI(Maoist), which is the highest position in group, and a cache of weapons was also recovered from the site. Other Senior member included Madhu, who is Senior member in the Dandakaranya Special Zonal Committee (DSZC).<ref name=":0">{{Cite news|title=Top Maoist leader Basavraju among 27 killed in Chhattisgarh’s Narayanpur|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/chhattisgarh/chhattisgarh-narayanpur-maoists-encounter-may-21-2025/article69600457.ece|access-date=2025-05-22|website=[[The Hindu]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|title=Naxal leader Basava Raju killed in encounter. Is this the end of the Maoist movement?|url=https://www.firstpost.com/explainers/naxal-leader-basava-raju-killed-in-encounter-is-this-the-end-of-the-maoist-movement-13890480.html|access-date=2025-05-22|website=[[Firstpost]]}}</ref>

==Aftermath==
The Operation can be considered as a severe blow to Maoist group and its insurgency as its leader has been eliminated. Nambala Keshava Rao had a bounty of ₹3.5 Crore by different state and central agencies on his head and was placed in the [[NIA Most Wanted]] list and it was the first time in three decades since the top most leader of the group was eliminated.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Maoist Basavaraju killed: How 50-hour-long Op Kagar ended era of red terror|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/nambala-keshava-rao-basavaraju-killed-chhattisgarh-naxal-encounter-red-terror-2728416-2025-05-21|access-date=2025-05-22|website=[[India Today]]}}</ref>

[[Minister of Home Affairs (India)|Minister of Home Affairs]] [[Amit Shah]] has vowed to eliminate Maoist insurgency by March 2026 and this incident can be considered a major step towards the stated goal.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Who was Maoist leader Basavaraju, whose death Amit Shah calls a ‘major breakthrough’?|url=https://www.thenewsminute.com/news/who-was-maoist-leader-basavaraju-whose-death-amit-shah-calls-a-major-breakthrough|access-date=2025-05-22|website=News Minute}}</ref> The [[Bharatiya Janata Party – Karnataka|Karnataka BJP]] unit in reference to the killings, posted an AI generated meme featuring Shah holding a cauliflower over a tombstone engraved "Naxalism Rest in Peace", in its Twitter account. The cauliflower plant had emerged as an insider dogwhistle among [[Hindu nationalism|Hindu nationalists]] and [[Trads (Hindutva)|Hindu fundamentalists]], referring to the [[1989 Bhagalpur violence|1989 Bhagalpur riots]], where an attempt was made to hide a [[mass grave]] of 116 [[Bihari Muslims]] killed by Hindus by planting cauliflower seeds over the ground, making its first appearance in the communal clashes in [[Nagpur]] [[2025 Nagpur violence|that occurred 2 months before]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Mahalanobish |first=Ankita |date=2025-05-24 |title=After Maoist deaths, BJP Karnataka shares 'cauliflower' meme, a reference to the 1989 Bhagalpur riots |url=https://www.altnews.in/after-maoist-deaths-bjp-karnataka-shares-cauliflower-meme-a-reference-to-the-1989-bhagalpur-riots/ |access-date=2026-03-08 |website=Alt News |language=en-GB}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=TCN News - TwoCircles.net |url=https://twocircles.net/2025may28/452032.html |access-date=2026-03-08 |website=twocircles.net}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Staff |first=T. N. M. |date=2025-05-05 |title=Karnataka BJP slammed for cauliflower meme on Chhattisgarh Maoist killings |url=https://www.thenewsminute.com/karnataka/karnataka-bjp-slammed-for-cauliflower-meme-on-chhattisgarh-maoist-killings |access-date=2026-03-08 |website=The News Minute |language=en}}</ref>

The total bounty of the killed cadres was ₹12.3 crores which will be equally distributed to the DRG unit personnel who took part in this operation.<ref>{{Cite news|title=27 Maoists killed carried total bounty of 12.3 cr; 25, including 12 women, were for Basavaraju’s protection|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/27-maoists-killed-carried-total-bounty-of-12-3-cr-25-including-12-women-were-for-basavarajus-protection/articleshow/121350603.cms|access-date=2025-05-23|website=[[Times of India]]}}</ref>

==See also==
*[[2024 Kanker clash]]
*[[2024 Abujhmarh clash]]
*[[2025 Bijapur clash]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Abhujmarh clash, 2025}}
[[Category:2020s in Chhattisgarh]]
[[Category:May 2025 in India]]
[[Category:Communist Party of India (Maoist) attacks]]
[[Category:Naxalite–Maoist insurgency]]
[[Category:Military operations involving India]]
[[Category:Terrorist incidents in Chhattisgarh]]
[[Category:Terrorist incidents in Asia in 2025]]

2025 Abujhmarh clash - Revision history

Dranvesh at 02:34, 9 March 2026