A dreaded Maoist rebel, carrying a cash reward of Rs 5 lakh on his head, was gunned down in a gun battle with the security forces in Sukma, police said on Saturday.
Based on specific Intelligence inputs about the presence of some Maoist rebels from Odisha in the jungles of Chitalnar-Mundwal villages under the limits of
Puspal police station, a team of district reserve guard (DRG) had launched the operation on Friday, inspector general of police (Bastar range) Sundarraj P said.
“When the patrolling team was cordoning off the jungles near the location on Friday evening, an exchange of fire broke out between the two sides,” he said.
During a search of the spot conducted later, the body of a male Maoist rebel along with a .315 bore firearm, a tiffin bomb, two hand grenades, a couple of detonators, cordex wire, Maoist literature and items of daily use were recovered, he added.
The killed rebel has been identified as Podiyam Kama alias Nagesh, who was active as an area committee member in Andhra-Odisha Border Special Zonal Committee of the Maoists.
Nagesh, a native of Bheji area of Sukma, had been working in Kalimela LOS (local organisation squad) on Andhra Pradesh-Odisha Border since the last six years, the IG said, adding that he was carrying a reward of Rs 5 lakh in Chhattisgarh.