Thu Dec 25 09:01:59 UTC 2025: Okay, here’s a summary of the text and a rewritten version as a news article:

Summary:

Security forces in Odisha killed a top Maoist leader, Ganesh Uikey, along with three other insurgents in a forest encounter. Uikey was a central committee member of the CPI (Maoist) and head of Odisha operations, carrying a large bounty. His death, along with other recent high-profile neutralizations, represents a major blow to the Maoist insurgency and brings the government closer to its goal of a Maoist-free India.

News Article:

Top Maoist Leader Killed in Odisha, Major Blow to Insurgency

BHUBANESWAR, Odisha – Security forces in Odisha have neutralized a top Maoist leader, Ganesh Uikey, in a significant operation in the Rampa forest area bordering Kandhamal and Ganjam districts. Uikey, a 69-year-old central committee member of the CPI (Maoist) and the head of its operations in Odisha, was killed in an encounter with Border Security Force (BSF) and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) teams on Thursday.

Three other Maoists, including two women cadres, were also killed in the operation.

According to officials, the encounter began around 9 am when security forces encountered an armed Maoist squad. A heavy exchange of fire ensued, resulting in the deaths of the four insurgents. Authorities recovered high-calibre weaponry from the site, including two INSAS rifles and a .303 rifle, indicating the high rank of the neutralized squad.

Ganesh Uikey, who used aliases like Pakka Hanumantu, Rajesh Tiwari, and Rupa, was a veteran insurgent originally from Telangana. He carried a reward of ₹1.1 crore on his head. He was a key figure in the Dandakaranya Special Zonal Committee (DKSZC) and the main communication link between the central leadership and local units within the Red Corridor. Uikey was also a key strategist behind the expansion of the Maoist movement in the Eastern Ghats.

“This is a historic success for our forces,” said a senior official monitoring the operation. “The elimination of an ₹1.1 crore bounty leader breaks the backbone of the Maoist organizational structure in the region.”

Uikey’s death, along with recent neutralizations of other high-ranking Maoist leaders like General Secretary Basavaraj and Commander Madvi Hidma, marks a significant setback for the insurgency. The Indian government aims to make the country Maoist-free by March 2026. The identities of the three other Maoists killed in Thursday’s operation are being verified.

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