Hyderabad, May 21 (IANS) Union Minister for Coal and Mines G. Kishan Reddy has said that the endgame for LWE has begun. Kishan Reddy, who is also the BJP’s Telangana unit president, on Wednesday hailed the success of security forces with the killing of 27 Maoists including CPI (Maoist) general secretary Nambala Keshav Rao alias Basavaraju.

“Yet another milestone in Bharat’s fight against LWE (Left Wing Extremism). The elimination of the CPI-Maoist leader is a fatal strike to the ideology of violence and anti-national sentiments. Proud of our brave security forces and intelligence agencies for this surgical operation in Narayanpur, Chhattisgarh,” Kishan Reddy said in a post on ‘X’.

The Union Minister said that under the decisive leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the strategic vision of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, the endgame for Naxalism has begun. “Our Nation stands united in this final push for a Naxal free Bharat,” he added.

Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Bandi Sanjay Kumar also hailed the success of security forces. “Decisive strike in Bharat’s war on Naxalism – Operation Black Forest Triumphs!” posted Bandi Sanjay.

The MoS stated that in a monumental victory under the decisive leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the tireless efforts of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, 27 hardcore Maoists have been neutralised in Narayanpur, Chhattisgarh. The Maoists include the CPI-Maoist’s elusive general secretary Nambala Keshav Rao alias Basavaraju.

“This marks the first elimination of a general secretary-rank Maoist in over three decades — a watershed moment in Bharat’s war on Left-Wing Extremism,” he wrote.

According to Bandi Sanjay, Operation Black Forest further resulted in 54 arrests and 84 surrenders across Chhattisgarh, Telangana, and Maharashtra. “A salute to our brave security forces for scripting this game-changing chapter in national security!” he added.

Basvaraju hailed from Srikakulam district of Andhra Pradesh. He became general secretary of CPI (Maoist) in 2018 following the resignation of Ganapathy.

–IANS

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