Topmost Naxal leader Basavaraju among 27 Maoists killed in Chhattisgarh encounter
Narayanpur (Chhattisgarh), May 21 (PTI): In a significant breakthrough in the ongoing fight against Naxalism, security forces in Chhattisgarh’s Bastar region have killed Nambala Keshav Rao, widely known as Basavaraju, along with 26 other dreaded Maoists in a fierce encounter.
Hailing from Andhra Pradesh, Basavaraju was considered the top leader and ideological backbone of the Naxal movement. His death marks a pivotal success in anti-Naxal operations.
In his early 70s, Basavaraju held a B.Tech degree and was known for orchestrating numerous deadly attacks on security forces. He carried a bounty of Rs 1 crore on his head in Chhattisgarh alone.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi lauded the security forces for their "remarkable success," while Union Home Minister Amit Shah called it a "landmark achievement" in the campaign to eradicate Naxalism.
The encounter began on Wednesday, two days after the launch of a coordinated anti-Maoist operation in the dense forests of Abhujmad—located at the tri-junction of Narayanpur, Bijapur, and Dantewada districts.
The operation was initiated based on intelligence inputs about the presence of top leaders from the CPI (Maoist) Central Committee, Politburo, and senior cadres of the Maad Division and the People's Liberation Guerrilla Army (PLGA).
Security forces recovered 27 bodies and a significant cache of arms from the site. One jawan from the District Reserve Guard (DRG), part of the Chhattisgarh Police, was martyred in the operation, while a few others were injured.
Reacting to the development, the Prime Minister wrote on social media: "Proud of our forces for this remarkable success. Our Government is committed to eliminating the menace of Maoism and ensuring a life of peace and progress for our people."
Home Minister Amit Shah emphasised the operation's importance, highlighting that it marked the first time in three decades that a Maoist leader of General Secretary rank had been neutralised.
"A landmark achievement in the battle to eliminate Naxalism. Today, in an operation in Narayanpur, Chhattisgarh, our security forces have neutralised 27 dreaded Maoists, including Nambala Keshav Rao, alias Basavaraju," the home minister said.
Shah praised the bravery of security forces and further noted that since the completion of Operation Black Forest, 54 Naxalites have been arrested and 84 others have surrendered across Chhattisgarh, Telangana, and Maharashtra.
He reiterated the government's goal to eliminate Naxalism by March 31, 2026.
Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai also praised the forces.
"Jari hai vijay ka sankhnad, khatm ho raha naxalwad' (the victory cry continues, Naxalism is ending). Under the leadership of the successful Prime Minister Narendra Modi, security forces have been moving ahead rapidly to fulfil the resolve of Home Minister Amit Shah to end Naxalism in the country by March 2026, and continuously achieving success," he said.
Despite facing difficult geographical conditions and many other challenges, this decisive campaign against LWE is being carried out with full commitment and determination by the DRG unit of Chhattisgarh Police, he said while expressing condolences over the death of a DRG jawan.
Deputy CM Vijay Sharma, who also holds Home portfolio, wrote on X, "Our security forces have killed 27 dreaded Maoists, including CPI-Maoist General Secretary Nambala Keshav Rao alias 'Basavaraju', during an operation in Narayanpur".
"With the strong determination of the Home Minister Amit Shah ji, our brave security forces have killed a Naxalite of General Secretary rank for the first time in 30 years. 'General Secretary' is the highest post among the Naxalites.
"All this is the result of the valour of our brave soldiers, many congratulations to them. Certainly, we will free the entire country, including Bastar, from Naxalism by March 2026," Sharma said.
Basavaraju, a native of Srikakulam district in Andhra Pradesh, had been a key figure in the Naxal movement since the 1970s.
He rose to the top leadership of CPI (Maoist) about seven years ago, around the time of a noticeable decline in Naxalite activity in Bastar. He was wanted in numerous major attacks against security forces in Chhattisgarh.
An alumnus of the country's one of premier technical institutes, the Regional Engineering College, Warangal, Basavaraju was known for his military expertise, particularly in training and explosives. He was recognised by various aliases, including Prakash, Krishna, Vijay, Umesh, and Kamlu.
Security agencies have speculated Basavaraju's age to be around 71, with only older photographs available for identification.
He carried a reward of Rs 1 crore on his head, announced by the Chhattisgarh government, with additional bounties announced in other states, including Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Telangana.
With this latest operation, a total of 200 Naxalites have been killed in separate encounters in Chhattisgarh this year, with 183 of those fatalities occurring in the Bastar division encompassing Bijapur, Narayanpur, Dantewada, and Kondagaon.
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Commercial LPG hike: Delhi restaurant owners warn of higher menu rates, job losses
New Delhi (PTI) A day after a 50 per cent rise in commercial LPG cylinder prices, Delhi's food business, with restaurant owners and street vendors have warned of higher menu rates, financial strain and potential job losses if the trend persists.
The price of commercial LPG was hiked by a steep Rs 993 per 19 kg cylinder, marking the third consecutive monthly hike amid rising global energy prices linked to the West Asia conflict.
For many in the restaurant industry, the spike has been both sudden and steep.
Manpreet Singh, honorary treasurer of the National Restaurant Association of India, said that eateries are already grappling with supply challenges alongside rising costs.
"There is a huge difficulty in getting these cylinders, and black marketing is also increasing in many unregulated sectors," he said, noting that prices that were once around Rs 1,600, often dropping to nearly Rs 1,300 with discounts, have now surged to between Rs 3,000 and Rs 4,000 per cylinder.
He further added that a medium-sized restaurant typically uses between two and five cylinders daily, making the increase particularly burdensome as costs mount.
Singh further said that as costs mount, smaller establishments could struggle to stay afloat. Instead, the association has advised restaurants to shift towards piped natural gas connections through Indraprastha Gas Limited as a more sustainable alternative.
"If this problem continues, PNG is the only long-term solution," he said, adding that temporary measures like coal offer limited relief due to slower cooking times and that it can largely be used only for tandoors.
Echoing similar concerns, Kabir Suri, owner of Mamagoto in Khan Market, said the impact is already visible across the industry. "There has been almost a threefold increase in cylinder prices for restaurants," he said, adding that rising fuel and logistics costs are compounding the pressure.
"If this continues, it will become a significant financial burden, and food prices will inevitably go up. Adding to this burden, higher fuel costs are also affecting logistics and transportation, making a price rise unavoidable. The extent of the impact will vary between small eateries and large chains depending on their scale," he said.
Global oil prices have surged nearly 50 per cent following disruptions in energy supply chains due to the West Asia conflict, pushing up commercial fuel costs and transport expenses.
A West Delhi-based restaurateur said they are trying to manage rising costs while keeping their staff secure. "We are trying to ensure that our staff, from kitchen workers to waiters, are paid on time and do not face immediate hardship," the owner said.
"We are a small restaurant with seating for about 20 to 25 people at a time. But if this continues for long, we will have to take difficult calls. There is only so much we can absorb, and menu prices will have to go up. We hope this does not continue for a longer period," he said.
Another restaurant owner in North Delhi, who did not wish to be named, said operational adjustments alone may not be enough. "We are checking our costs very carefully and trying to cut wherever possible, but if fuel prices remain high, it will eventually affect how we run the business," the owner said.
"Coal helps in tandoor cooking, but it takes more time," the owner further added.
The strain is even more acute among street vendors, many of whom operate on thin margins. A vendor in Saket said he had recently expanded his business, moving from a mobile cart to a rented outlet.
"I have a family to feed and more responsibilities now. Earlier, I managed with a moving cart, but after renting the place, expenses increased," he said. "Whenever cylinders were unavailable, I had to buy them at higher rates in the black market. Now even regular supply is too expensive, and if this continues, we may have to shut down," he added.
In Laxmi Nagar, another vendor said they are struggling to keep the business running. "Sometimes we even used domestic cylinders from home when supply ran out because we had to keep the stall running," he said, adding that rising costs leave little choice but to increase prices or bear losses.
On April 1, the rates of commercial LPG cylinders were hiked by Rs 195.50 per cylinder, followed by a Rs 114.5 hike on March 1, taking the total increase over the past three months to Rs 1,303. With the latest revision, a 19 kg commercial LPG cylinder now costs Rs 3,371.5 in Delhi, up from Rs 2,078.5 earlier.
The prices of domestic LPG cylinders used for household cooking have remained unchanged. They were last increased by Rs 60 per 14.2 kg cylinder on March 7 and currently cost Rs 913 in Delhi.
