Top Maoist Leader Among 10 Killed in Chhattisgarh’s Gariyaband Operation

• By Thetripurapost Desk, Gariyaband/Raipur
• Sep 11, 2025
• 866

In one of the biggest setbacks to the CPI (Maoist) in recent years, security forces gunned down 10 Naxals, including a central committee member, during a fierce encounter in Chhattisgarh’s Gariyaband district on Thursday.

The slain Maoist has been identified as Manoj alias Modem Balkrishna, a top-rung ideologue and strategist of the banned outfit. Officials described his killing as a “major blow” to the Maoist movement in central India.

The gunfight erupted in the dense forests under Mainpur police station limits when a massive anti-Naxal operation was launched jointly by the Special Task Force (STF), CoBRA commandos of the CRPF, and local police units.

“The encounter was the result of sustained intelligence inputs. Balkrishna was directly supervising Maoist activities in Chhattisgarh, Odisha, and Maharashtra,” said a senior police officer on condition of anonymity.

 

According to Raipur Range IGP Amresh Mishra, intermittent firing continued late into the evening, with ground reports confirming the elimination of 10 Maoists so far. Arms, ammunition, and Maoist literature were also recovered from the site.

Why this operation matters

Strategic blow: Balkrishna’s neutralisation is expected to weaken Maoist leadership in the tri-junction zone of Chhattisgarh, Odisha, and Maharashtra.

Rising security push:

This is the second major success for security forces in Chhattisgarh this year, reflecting an intensified counter-insurgency campaign ahead of the festive season.

Symbolic impact:

The CPI (Maoist) has been struggling to fill leadership voids after repeated top-level losses, and this encounter is likely to further dent morale.

Security forces have launched an extensive combing and search operation to flush out remaining Maoist cadres in the region.