6 Maoists Killed in Odisha, Top Leader Ganesh Uike Among Dead; Shah Hails "Milestone"

• Six Maoists, including senior leader Ganesh Uike, were killed in a six-day operation by security forces in Odisha's Kandhamal district.
• Ganesh Uike was a Central Committee Member of CPI (Maoist), state chief, and carried a Rs 1.1 crore reward.
• Union Minister Amit Shah called it a "significant milestone" towards a Naxal-free Bharat, aiming to eliminate Naxalism by March 2026.
• The operation involved 23 teams, including SOG, CRPF, and BSF, acting on specific intelligence inputs.
• DGP Y B Khurania stated Uike's killing "broke the backbone" of Maoists in Odisha, calling it a major success.

Why It Matters: Major blow to Naxalism as top leader Ganesh Uike and 5 others killed in Odisha operation.