Security forces in Chhattisgarh achieved a major breakthrough in their ongoing anti-Naxal operations on Monday with the killing of a senior Maoist leader, Narasimha Chalam, better known by his aliases Gautam and Sudhakar. A Central Committee Member of the outlawed CPI (Maoist), Sudhakar was among the most wanted extremists in the country, carrying a bounty of ₹1 crore on his head.
DIG of Police, Kamalochan Kashyap, confirmed the development and said the operation was conducted in the dense forests of the Maad region in Bijapur district. Acting on intelligence inputs regarding Maoist movement, a joint team of the District Reserve Guard (DRG) and the Special Task Force (STF) launched a search operation early in the morning. The forces cordoned off the area and subsequently engaged in a fierce gunfight with the rebels. Sudhakar was neutralised during the encounter, while the search for other cadres is still underway. An automatic rifle was recovered from the site.
A native of Chintapaludi village in Andhra Pradesh, Sudhakar had been active in Left-wing extremism for over three decades. He rose through the Maoist ranks to become a member of the organisation’s Central Committee, playing a key role in expanding the group’s influence across states. Security officials said he was wanted in multiple cases of violence and insurgency in Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, and Telangana.
His death marks a significant setback for the Maoist movement in Bastar, a region that has long been the epicentre of Naxal activities. Officials noted that Sudhakar’s presence in the region had been a source of inspiration and coordination for cadres in several states.
According to police data, more than 400 Maoists have been eliminated across the Bastar range since 2024, reflecting the intensification of counter-insurgency operations. While security forces hailed the success, officials cautioned that combing operations would continue as more Maoist groups remain active in remote pockets of the forested terrain.
The killing of Sudhakar, one of the last remaining top-rung Maoist leaders operating in central India, is being seen as a turning point in the fight against Left-wing extremism in Chhattisgarh.
