Execution of Balakrishna and Pramod mark significant setback to Maoist movement in Odisha

By Harsh Thakor* 

The deaths of senior CPI (Maoist) leaders Modem Balakrishna and Pramod in an encounter with security forces in Chhattisgarh’s Gariaband district on September 11, 2025, are being viewed by authorities as a major setback for Maoist operations in Odisha and adjoining areas.

Balakrishna, a Central Committee member of the banned CPI (Maoist) and secretary of the Odisha State Committee, had been active in the organisation for over a decade. Pramod, also part of the Odisha State Committee and secretary of the KKBN (Kalahandi-Kandhamal-Boudh-Nayagarh) Division, carried a reward of ₹20 lakh. Both were reportedly operating along the Chhattisgarh–Odisha border at the time of the encounter.

According to police sources, Balakrishna’s movements were traced in Odisha’s Kandhamal, Boudh, Kalahandi and Rayagada districts in recent months. Intelligence inputs indicated the presence of 60 to 70 armed cadres in the area, prompting intensified surveillance of the KKBN and BGN divisions of CPI (Maoist). Security forces were also instructed to monitor the activities of other senior members along the inter-state border.

Balakrishna, originally from Warangal district in Telangana, had been associated with the Maoist movement since the 1980s. He was reportedly involved in several violent incidents targeting security forces and infrastructure, including attacks on mining sites in 2009. His early political activity began through the Radical Students Union, after which he joined the Maoist organisation full-time in 1983.

Over the years, Balakrishna held several organisational positions, including district and regional secretary roles in Telangana, before taking charge of the Odisha State Organising Committee. He was arrested multiple times in the 1980s and 1990s, spending several years in jail before going underground permanently in 1999. Authorities described his death as a major disruption to Maoist command structures operating along the Odisha–Chhattisgarh corridor.

Pramod, also known as Pandu, had been active for over three decades, initially working in cultural wings such as Jana Natya Mandali before joining the armed wing of the movement. He had served as a North Bastar Divisional Committee member and was instrumental in expanding Maoist activities in parts of Odisha and Chhattisgarh.

Balakrishna’s funeral was held in Hyderabad on September 14, drawing a large crowd that included family members, local residents, and representatives of several political and social organisations. Reports indicated that his wife’s request to attend the funeral was denied by authorities. Pramod’s funeral was held in Chandravelli village, Bellampalli mandal, where local leaders and party members paid their respects.

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*Freelance journalist