Senior Maoist Leader With Rs 45 Lakh Bounty Killed In Encounter With Security Forces in Chattisgarh

Senior Maoist leader Mailarapu Adellu, alias Bhaskar, who had a total bounty of Rs 45 lakh on his head, was killed in an encounter with security forces in Indravati National Park Area in Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur, a CRPF official said, pointing to the citing “preliminary identification of body”.

Here’s what we know so far about Bhaskar and the encounter.

Who was Maoist leader Bhaskar?

Bhaskar was a senior Maoist leader and a Special Zonal Committee (SZC) member of the Telangana State Committee (TSC) of the banned Communist Party of India (Maoist). He was also the secretary of the Mancherial-Komarambheem (MKB) division, and had been actively operating across Telangana and Chhattisgarh.

A native of Adilabad district in Telangana, Bhaskar had been involved in multiple Maoist operations and ambushes against security forces. He carried a bounty of Rs 25 lakh from Chhattisgarh and ₹20 lakh from Telangana, making him one of the most-wanted Naxalite leaders in the region.

How did the encounter unfold?

The encounter occurred as part of a joint anti-Naxal operation launched on Wednesday by personnel from the Special Task Force (STF), District Reserve Guard (DRG), and the CRPF’s elite CoBRA unit. It took place in the forested terrain of Indravati National Park, known for being a Maoist stronghold.

According to IG Sundarraj, Bastar Range, the exchange of fire between the security forces and the Maoists ended with the recovery of an AK-47 rifle, explosives, and other ammunition. The body recovered from the site is believed to be Bhaskar’s, based on preliminary identification. Final confirmation is awaited through forensic and intelligence verification.

What is the status of the crackdown against Maoist leadership?

Bhaskar’s death marks the third major success for security forces in just over two weeks.

On June 5, media reports suggested senior Maoist leader Narasimha Chalam alias Sudhakar, a key ideologue and recruiter for the Maoist movement—was also killed in the same area. Sudhakar had a Rs 40 lakh bounty and was originally from Andhra Pradesh.

Prior to that, on May 21, CPI (Maoist) general secretary Nambala Keshav Rao alias Basavaraju, considered the party’s top leader, was killed in Narayanpur district of Bastar. His death was seen as a major breakthrough in the fight against left-wing extremism.

The coordinated operations in Bastar and adjoining regions are part of a sustained push to dismantle the Maoist leadership and end the insurgency by March 2026, a timeline previously stated by government sources involved in anti-Naxal strategy.