Ex-Home Ministry advisor calls Basavaraju’s killing a significant security victory.

• K. Vijay Kumar, former Special Security Adviser, Union Home Ministry, explains that Basavaraju was “extremely secretive” and his death was a major achievement for security forces.

• Basavaraju, who was 70, was known for his expertise in handling explosives and his proneness to violence.

• He was part of the central committee of the CPI (Maoist), the outfit’s highest decision-making body, for over 27 years and was part of its Polit Bureau for 18 years.

• His arrest resulted in a cumulative reward of over ₹2 crore.

• The killing of Basavaraju could impact recruitment of cadre, which had seen a significant drop in recent years.