A Maoist on Sunday was gunned down in an encounter with security forces in Bastar district, police said.
The encounter took place in the morning between a joint team of security personnel and the insurgents in Kandanar forest area under Darbha police station limits, according to Bastar Superintendent of Police Rajendra Narayan Dash.
The operation was launched last night by a composite squad of District Reserve Group (DRG) and District Force based on inputs about the presence of rebels in the foot hills of restive Chandometa village near Tulsi Dongri, he said.
Chandometa is located on Chhattisgarh-Odisha border, about 55 kms from Darbha police station.
Today, when the security men were advancing to the specified location, a gun-battle broke out after a group of cadres opened fire on them, the SP said.
The encounter lasted for about an hour following which the rebels escaped.
During a search, the body of a male Maoist clad in uniform besides a .303 rifle, its five live rounds, a SBMl (single barrel muzzle loading) rifle, couple of detonators, bags, Maoist literature and items of daily use were recovered from the spot, he said.
The identity of the killed rebel was yet to be ascertained as the security personnel were still inside the forest carrying out the operation and further details are awaited, Dash said.