India, Dec. 25 -- In a major blow to Maoist leadership, four armed Maoists, including senior Central Committee member Ganesh Uike, were killed during an encounter with security forces in Kandhamal district on Thursday.

Uike, aged around 69, was carrying a cumulative bounty of Rs 1 crore 10 lakh and was considered one of the top Maoist operatives active in Odisha and neighbouring regions. Among the four Maoists that were neutralised, two were women.

Security officials confirmed that Ganesh was part of the Maoist central committee and had been involved in planning and coordinating armed activities across multiple zones. His killing is being described by security agencies as a significant operational success against the Naxals' top command...