Reported By KJ Srivatsan
Nambala Keshava Rao (67), the mastermind behind the deadly bomb attack on Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu in Tirupati’s Alipiri, was killed in an encounter in Chhattisgarh on Wednesday. According to reports, a total of 27 Maoists, including him, have been eliminated in the major encounter that took place in the Narayanpur district. It is reported that a fiery exchange of fire took place between the Maoists and the security forces in the Abujhmad area. During the process, Rao is believed to have died. This was followed by intelligence inputs on the presence of senior cadres of the Maad division of Maoists.
Who Was Nambala Keshava Rao?
Rao played a major role in the brutal killing of 76 CRPF jawans in 2010. He became the Maoist Supreme Commander in 2018 following the resignation of the party’s top leader, Mupala Lakshmana Rao alias Ganapathy. He was an expert in making guerrilla strategies and IED blasts. He did engineering at Warangal REC and was attracted to Naxalism while studying M.Tech. His father was a teacher.
Other Maoist Leaders Killed
Other important Maoist leaders reportedly killed include Madhu, a senior member of the Dandakaranya Special Zonal Committee, and Naveen, who worked with the group’s publication wing called Jung. Before becoming General Secretary, Basavaraj led the group’s Central Military Commission. This role is usually held by the group’s top military leader.
Also Read: At Least 26 Maoists Killed In Chhattisgarh Encounter With Security Forces In Abhujamad
