Bhubaneswar: Security forces today claimed to have killed CPI (Maoist) general secretary Nambala Keshava Rao alias Basavaraju and 27 other Naxals in an encounter in Chhattisgarh. 

As per reports, Basavaraju had taken charge from incumbent CPI (Maoist) general secretary Mupalla Laxman Rao alias Ganpathy in 2017.

Ganpathy had been the supreme leader of the CPI (Maiost) for 25 years.

Before his elevation to the post of CPI (Maoist) general secretary, Basavaraju was the commander in chief of the central military commission (CMC) of the Maoists. Under his direction, the naxals carried out all attacks and ambushes on security forces in LWE-affected states.

He was the head of the forest division of the Dandakaranya and a member of the CPI (Maoist) politburo, the top ideological think tank of the party.

Born at Jiyanapeta in Srikakulam of Andhra Pradesh in 1955, Basavaraju did B Tech from the Regional Engineering College in Warangal. He was also very good in sports and even represented Andhra Pradesh at the national level in volleyball.

Basavaraju had joined the left-wing extremism (LWE) around 35 years ago. He carried a reward of Rs 2.02 crore on his head.