Maoist Extremism In India Nears End; Devuji Only Top Leader Left After Ganesh Uikey’s Death

Uikey was not known as a battlefield commander but as the administrative backbone of the Maoist movement in Odisha and adjoining regions.

In a significant blow to the Maoist leadership following the elimination of Madvi Hidma earlier, security forces killed Ganesh Uikey, a Central Committee member and the head of the Naxal outfit in Odisha, during a major anti-Maoist operation in Kandhamal district on Thursday.

With Uikey’s death, Devuji, an ageing ideological veteran and once a key figure in the military wing, is now believed to be the only top-tier leader left, symbolising the final embers of an insurgency that has steadily lost ground, manpower and public support.

According to a government official, a joint operation based on specific intelligence inputs from the Special Intelligence Wing (SIW) was launched in the Chakapad police station area of Kandhamal district and the bordering regions of Ganjam district under the Rambha forest range. The operation involved 23 teams comprising 20 from the Special Operations Group (SOG), two from the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and one from the Border Security Force (BSF).

Multiple exchanges of fire took place on the morning of December 25 in forested areas under Chakapad and Belghar police station limits. During subsequent search operations, security forces recovered four bodies of Maoists in uniform—two men and two women—along with two INSAS rifles and one .303 rifle. One of the deceased was identified as Ganesh Uikey. The identities of the remaining are yet to be established, and further search operations are ongoing.

Only Devuji Left At The Top

With Uikey’s death, attention now turns to Devuji, described by security agencies as an ideological veteran whose influence once shaped regional strategy and who also played a crucial role in the military wing.

Like Uikey, Devuji is believed to be battling age-related ailments and operating with a shrinking circle of loyal cadres. His role is now seen as less about command and more about holding together the remnants of an organisation that has steadily eroded under sustained security pressure.

Security officials say the latest operation underscores the weakening of the Maoist hierarchy in eastern India. The loss of senior leaders, combined with territorial contraction and declining local support, has left the insurgent movement struggling to sustain itself.

Who Was Ganesh Uikey?

Uikey was not known as a battlefield commander but as the administrative backbone of the Maoist movement in Odisha and adjoining regions. Rising through the ranks as an organiser, he was responsible for maintaining communication channels, managing logistics and overseeing finances across key divisions during the insurgency’s peak years.

However, years of living underground had taken a severe toll. Sources say Uikey suffered from chronic health issues, required physical support while walking, and moved with a tightly controlled protection ring that included women operatives trained for concealment. His declining mobility and health had increasingly limited the Maoists’ ability to coordinate large-scale activities. What was once a structured zonal network had, over time, fragmented into isolated cells dependent on Uikey’s intermittent guidance.

The operations will continue until the remaining armed cadres are neutralised and affected regions are fully stabilised, signalling that the endgame against Maoist extremism in Odisha may be drawing closer.