Uike's death has broken backbone of Maoist activities in Odisha: DGP
Bhubaneswar (PTI): Ganesh Uike, 69, a battle-hardened Maoist leader, finally fell to the bullets of security personnel in Kandhamal district on Thursday, less than a year after taking charge of Odisha operations, officials said.
Uike, a central committee member of the outfit carrying a bounty of Rs 1.1 crore, was shot dead in a dense forest within Chakapad police station limits, bordering Ganjam district in Rambha forest range.
A senior officer associated with the operation said Uike, despite being accompanied by three of his associates, was caught off guard.
The biting cold in Kandhamal, with temperatures falling below three degrees Celsius in the jungle, likely aided security forces in neutralising the group, the officer said.
Uike took charge of Odisha operations in December 2024 after previously heading the Karnataka-Kerala-Tamil Nadu south regional bureau.
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He was promoted to the central committee in 2020 and had worked across Chhattisgarh up to November 2024, officials said.
Known by various names including Pakka Hanumantu, Rajesh Tiwari, Chamru, and Rupa, Uike was a native of Pullemala village under Chendur mandal in Telangana’s Nalgonda district.
In February, he reorganised the Niyamgiri local organisation squad to revive Maoist activities in the erstwhile areas of top naxal leader Sabyasachi Panda, currently serving a life sentence in Berhampur jail.
Uike mostly focused in Kalahandi - Rayagada - Kandhamal - Boudh – Nayagarh axis taking advantage of the difficult terrains and topography.
However, he died in the same forested and hilly terrain in an encounter with the security personnel of Odisha’s SOG, DVF and central forces like CRPF and BSF.
"Uike's death has broken the backbone of Maoist activities in Odisha," DGP Y B Khurania told reporters.
"The death of Uike is a body blow to the Maoists in the state because the outfit does not have any senior leader. Modem Balakrishna, who for some time looked after Odisha affairs for the outfit, was killed in an encounter with security forces in Chhattisgarh's Gariyaband district on September 11," a senior officer said.
Active along the Odisha-Chhattisgarh-Maharashtra corridor for nearly a decade, Uike was involved in armed squad operations, cadre recruitment, and forest-based movements. Officials said his expertise in forest operations failed in the Kandhamal-Ganjam border area, leading to his neutralisation.
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Hubballi: Gym trainer assaulted; police say clash due to personal reasons
Hubballi: A gym trainer was allegedly assaulted by a group of people following accusations of sexual assault and ‘love jihad’, even as both families involved in the case traded serious allegations.
According to police, a group of individuals went to the residence of Sameer Mulla, a resident of Vijayanagar, and questioned him over his friendship with a woman he had met at a gym. The situation escalated into a clash, during which he was allegedly dragged away and assaulted. He sustained minor injuries and was admitted to KIMS hospital.
N. Shashikumar said that after this incident, members from Sameer’s side went to the woman’s house, leading to another clash in which one person was injured. “It was wrong for groups to go near houses. We will take necessary legal action,” he said, adding that the incident appears to have arisen from personal reasons. Police have taken some individuals into custody and are investigating the matter.
Sameer Mulla was reportedly thrashed by a group of Sangh Parivar activists and later handed over to police at the Old Hubballi Police Station after relatives of the woman and members of Hindu organisations gathered at his residence in Rajnagar.
The woman’s family alleged assault and threats from Sameer’s relatives at their Vikas Nagar residence.
Meanwhile, Sameer’s family denied the allegations and accused the woman’s relatives and others of assaulting and kidnapping him. His sister said the two had been in a relationship for three years and that the allegations were baseless.
Police said statements from both sides have been recorded, and a detailed investigation is underway. Sameer remains hospitalised, and appropriate legal action will be taken based on findings.
In a video statement shared on social media, the 20-year-old woman alleged that Sameer had given her an intoxicant, recorded videos without her consent, and sexually assaulted her. She lodged a complaint alleging rape and blackmail, which police are investigating.
In another video, Sameer denied the allegations, claiming the video was recorded with consent and that the accusations were made under pressure.
Former Hubballi-Dharwad Urban Development Authority (HDUDA) chairman Nagesh Kalburgi termed the incident a serious matter and urged police to take strict action.
Police said the case involves multiple complaints from both sides, and further investigation is underway.
