Five elusive Maoist leaders hold the key as March 31 deadline nears

Five senior Maoist leaders remain at large even as the Centre’s deadline to eliminate Left Wing Extremism moves into its final stretch. Security officials concede that without neutralising or capturing this core leadership, a formal declaration of victory will remain premature.

Those still on the run include CPI (Maoist) general secretary Thippiri Tirupati alias Devji, former general secretary Muppalla Lakshman Rao alias Ganapathy, Politburo member Misir Besra, Central Committee leader Malla Raji Reddy alias Sangram, and South Zonal commander Paparao alias Mongu, believed to be operating in parts of Chhattisgarh.

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Union Home Minister Amit Shah said on his recent visit to Chhattisgarh that Maoists had been reduced to a “handful” nationwide. Chhattisgarh Home Minister Vijay Sharma echoed the assessment, claiming that barely ten per cent of the Maoist network now remains active in the state.

Field assessments, however, suggest that resistance, though weakened, has not disappeared. Senior Bastar-based journalist Manish Gupta said Maoist presence is now largely confined to Bijapur and Sukma districts. He identified Paparao as the most operationally active commander. In January 2025, an IED attack led by his unit on the Kutru–Bedre road killed eight security personnel and a civilian driver. While several members of his squad have since been eliminated, Paparao has repeatedly escaped cordons.

Misir Besra remains one of the most wanted Maoist leaders in eastern India. Jharkhand, Odisha and West Bengal together have announced bounties totalling ₹3 crore on him. Ganapathy, despite his age, continues to evade intelligence agencies.

A major turning point came with the capture of Karreguttalu Hill in the Bijapur district. The 21-day operation in April–May 2025 involved over 10,000 personnel working in extreme heat. Thirty-one Maoists were killed. Eighteen security personnel were injured but later recovered.

Security forces recovered 450 IEDs, 35 weapons and more than 12,000 kg of supplies from the area. Three permanent camps were later established on the hill. The national flag was hoisted there for the first time on January 26. Officials said that security expansion enabled the tricolour to be unfurled at 70 new locations across the state this year.

Official records show that since 2024, Bijapur alone has seen 35 new security camps. During this period, 918 Maoists surrendered, 1,163 were arrested, and 232 were killed in encounters. Statewide figures indicate 256 Maoists were killed, 1,562 surrendered, 884 arrested, and 875 IEDs recovered. Twenty-three security personnel were killed, while 46 civilians lost their lives in Maoist violence.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, a senior official revealed that several remaining cadres have begun shifting from traditional forest bases to urban and semi-urban networks. Security estimates suggest that around 400 Maoists remain active across Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Maharashtra, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, while another 100 are believed to be operating in Jharkhand, Bihar and adjoining regions.

Bastar Range Inspector General P. Sundarraj said operations across Maoist-affected states were being conducted in close coordination. “Our mandate is search and domination. We do not go into forests to kill. Encounters happen only when forces come under fire,” he said, responding to queries on whether these leaders would be arrested or eliminated.

On persistent speculation about the death of Malla Raji Reddy, who carries a bounty of ₹1 crore, the IG said there was no confirmed intelligence. Images and videos that circulated in 2023 could not be verified, he added.
Senior Bastar-based journalist Manish Gupta observed that although the Maoist organisation has significantly weakened, its core leadership structure remains intact. “Until that leadership collapses, the threat cannot be considered fully neutralised,” he said.

With only weeks left before the March 31 deadline, security experts view the coming phase as critical. The sustained pressure of recent operations, he noted, must now translate into lasting peace, potentially drawing to a close a conflict that has shaped Chhattisgarh’s internal security landscape for decades.