Bhubaneswar: The killing of top Maoist commander, Nambala Keshava Rao (70), also known as Basavaraju, along with 27 other Naxal members during an encounter in Chhattisgarh on Wednesday dealt a blow to the Naxal movement in Odisha, where he was instrumental in organising and expanding Maoist forces, sources in the state police said.“Rao’s encounter will weaken Naxal base on the Odisha-Chhattisgarh border. We are trying to ascertain whether he was directly involved in any past violence in Odisha or named in any FIR. Clarity will emerge soon. We are in touch with Chhattisgarh police,” DGP Y B Khurania told TOI.Police sources indicated that Rao, who served as Maoist general secretary, had reportedly visited Malkangiri in 2011-12 and Kandhamal in 2015-16 to strengthen the Maoist movement. Despite police launching search operations in Kandhamal forests following intelligence reports, he remained elusive. He had assembled with other Maoist central committee members in Kandhamal to reinforce their control, police sources said.Basavaraju, previously a military commander, succeeded former general secretary Mupalla Laxman Rao, known as Ganpathy, in 2018. As commander-in-chief of the Central Military Commission, he orchestrated attacks on security forces for over 15 years. He managed intelligence and operations while heading the forest division of Dandakaranya. Also, he held membership in the CPI (Maoist) politburo.Odisha Police have intensified their operations along state borders with Chhattisgarh to control cross-border movement. Seven Maoist-affected districts in Odisha — Bargarh, Koraput, Malkangiri, Kalahandi, Nabarangpur, Nuapada, and Balangir — share boundaries with Chhattisgarh.Chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi recently requested additional forces and helicopter support from the Centre to address Maoist infiltration from Chhattisgarh, following stepped up anti-Naxal operations in the neighbouring state.State police report that Maoist activities are under control. The Centre aims to eliminate Naxal presence nationwide by March 2026. Currently, Left-wing extremism affects 10 districts — Koraput, Malkangiri, Rayagada, Bargarh, Balangir, Nabarangpur, Kalahandi, Nuapada, Kandhamal, and Boudh.