Amit Shah's LWE drive reduces Maoist leadership to Misir Besra
India
Home Minister Amit Shah's mission to end left-wing extremism (LWE) by March 2026 has nearly wiped out the top Maoist leadership, dropping from over 20 senior leaders to just one, Misir Besra, in Jharkhand.
This sharp decline is thanks to a mix of police action and incentives that led many leaders to either surrender or be taken down.
Basavaraju, Madvi Hidma killed, Ganapathy untraceable
Key figures like Basavaraju were killed last year, while others such as Venugopal Rao and Thippiri Tirupathi surrendered in recent months.
Madvi Hidma, known for leading major attacks, was also killed in late 2025.
However, Muppala Lakshman Rao (Ganapathy), another high-profile leader, is still untraceable, keeping authorities on their toes.