Rs 1.1 Cr Bounty Maoist Ganesh Uike Killed in Odisha Encounter

• Top Maoist leader Ganesh Uike, carrying a Rs 1.1 crore bounty, was killed in an encounter with security forces in Odisha's Kandhamal district.
• Uike, a CPI(Maoist) central committee member and Odisha chief, was among four rebels neutralized in the Chakapad police station area.
• Separately, three more Maoists, including two with a combined bounty of Rs 23.65 lakh, were killed in another encounter in Gumma forest.
• Uike, 69, was a key figure in the Dandakaranya Special Zonal Committee (DKSZC) and a primary link in the Red Corridor for over 40 years.
• His death is a major blow to the insurgency, bringing India closer to its goal of a Maoist-free nation by March 2026.

Why It Matters: Top Maoist Ganesh Uike's killing in Odisha marks a significant step towards a Naxal-free India.