Senior Maoist leader Bala Krishna was killed in a gunfight in Chhattisgarh, India, marking a significant blow to the CPI (Maoist) organization.

Axar.az informs, citing Indian media, Modem Bala Krishna, a senior leader of the outlawed CPI (Maoist) and Central Committee Member (CCM), was suspected to be among 9 other Maoists killed in a fierce gun battle with security forces in Chhattisgarh’s Gariyaband district on Thursday, police said.

Officials described Bala Krishna as a significant catch for the forces in the region.

Bala Krishna, also known by his aliases Balanna, Ramachandar and Bhaskar, had been one of the longest-serving figures in the Maoist organisation.

India is waging an all-out offensive against the last vestiges of the Naxalite rebellion, named after the village in the foothills of the Himalayas where the Maoist-inspired guerrilla movement began nearly six decades ago.