Mon May 26 18:34:16 UTC 2025: **Summary:**
The last rites for top Maoist leader Nambala Keshava Rao, alias Basavaraju, and seven other Maoist cadres killed in Chhattisgarh’s Abujhmad area on May 21, were performed in Chhattisgarh’s Narayanpur district on May 26, 2025. This occurred despite demands from Basavaraju’s family to have the body returned to his native village in Andhra Pradesh. Police claimed no legal claimant could adequately prove their relationship, and that the cremations followed legal procedures for unclaimed bodies. Family members, including Basavaraju’s brother and nephew, contested this, alleging they were denied the body and were unable to prove relationship. An activist criticized the police actions, citing the right of families to perform last rites. Police sources suggested the decision to cremate in Chhattisgarh was to prevent potential unrest.
**News Article:**
**Controversy Erupts as Police Cremate Slain Maoist Leader in Chhattisgarh**
**Raipur, May 27, 2025** – The last rites for Nambala Keshava Rao, also known as Basavaraju, a top leader of the Maoist movement, and seven other Maoist cadres killed in a recent encounter in Chhattisgarh, were conducted by police in Narayanpur district on Monday. The cremation has sparked outrage and accusations of wrongdoing, as family members had traveled from Andhra Pradesh seeking to claim Basavaraju’s body and conduct his funeral in his native village.
Police officials claim that no valid legal claimants could be verified for Basavaraju and the other deceased. “All basic and humanitarian courtesy had been extended in cremating the ‘disowned and unclaimed Naxal dead bodies by following due legal procedures,” stated a police spokesperson.
However, relatives dispute this account. Nabla Janardan Rao, who identified himself as Basavaraju’s nephew, told reporters they were denied access to the body and informed that cremation would occur in Narayanpur. The family alleges bureaucratic hurdles and a lack of cooperation from authorities prevented them from fulfilling their familial duties.
Activist Bela Bhatia condemned the police’s actions, citing constitutional rights and international laws guaranteeing the dignity of the deceased and the right of families to perform last rites.
Sources within the Chhattisgarh police indicated that concerns about potential unrest and a large-scale funeral procession by Maoist supporters influenced the decision to cremate the bodies within the state.
The Andhra Pradesh High Court was previously approached by family members seeking intervention, but were ultimately directed to work with Chhattisgarh authorities. The situation remains tense, with questions surrounding the handling of the deceased and the rights of families in conflict zones.
First Piper 