In a major counterinsurgency operation, top Maoist leader Nambala Keshava Rao died along with 28 other Maoists in Abujhmarh area of Narayanpur district, Chhattisgarh. Security forces surrounded the area after receiving intelligence about Keshava Rao’s presence. The Home Minister announced his death on social media, noting that Keshava Rao carried a bounty of 1.5 crore rupees.
Student to Revolutionary
Born in 1955 in Jiyannapeta village of Srikakulam district, Andhra Pradesh. Keshava Rao completed his B.Tech and was pursuing M.Tech at Regional Engineering College in Warangal when he got drawn to the Naxalite movement in the 1970s. Friends say the Srikakulam farmers’ uprising deeply influenced his life choices.
Rise Through Maoist Ranks
After joining People’s War Group, Keshava Rao initially worked in East Godavari and Visakhapatnam districts. In 1987, he trained with former Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam members alongside Kishanji, Mallojula Venugopal, and Malla Rajireddy in Bastar forests, mastering guerrilla tactics and explosives handling.
As a founding member of People’s War Group, Keshava Rao played a crucial role when the organization rebranded as CPI (Maoist), serving on its Central Committee and Politburo. Following Ganapathi’s resignation in 2018, he became the party’s General Secretary.
Tactical Expertise
Known for his expertise in guerrilla warfare and improvised explosive devices, Keshava Rao allegedly masterminded numerous deadly attacks including the 2010 Dantewada ambush that killed 76 security personnel and the 2019 Gadchiroli attack claiming 15 lives.
He was also accused of planning the assassination of Telugu Desam Party leader Kidari Sarveswara Rao in Araku and the Jiram Ghati attack that killed former Chhattisgarh minister Mahendra Karma, Congress leader Nand Kumar Patel, and 25 others.
The Most Wanted
Keshava Rao was on the most wanted lists of multiple investigation agencies with a bounty of 1.5 crore rupees across Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, Odisha, and Andhra Pradesh. Security forces intensified their search for him throughout 2024, with operations along the Chhattisgarh-Telangana border where they suspected he had a hideout in Karregutta.
Despite recent rumors about his declining health, Keshava Rao ultimately lost his life in an encounter with security forces in Chhattisgarh’s forests.
