India, May 22 -- In a major success in the ongoing fight against left wing extremism, topmost leader and the backbone of the Naxal movement, Nambala Keshav Rao alias Basavaraju, and 26 other dreaded Maoists were killed by security forces in a fierce encounter in the dense forests of Abhujmad in Bastar region of Chhattisgarh on Wednesday. Basavaraju carried a reward of 'one crore on his head in Chhattisgarh. He was believed to be 71 years old.

Hailing the operation, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he was proud of the security forces for the "remarkable success", while Union Home Minister Amit Shah termed it a "landmark achievement" in the battle to eliminate Naxalism. Police said the gunfight took place in dense forests of Abhujmad on t...