A hardcore insurgent was gunned down in an encounter with the Police in Veerabhatti area of insurgency-hit Sukma district in Bastar on Friday morning.
Police have recovered a Self loading Rifle (SlR) next to the body of the insurgent.Inspector General of Police (IGP), Bastar Range, SRP Kalluri said that the incident occurred in the morning when the joint team of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and District Force (DF) were on a joint search operation while starting from Bhejji police station.
As the team reached near Veerabhatti village, they were fired upon by Maoists hiding in the forest.The police team took position and fired in retaliation. The cross firing continued for about an hour and eventually the insurgents fled to the core of the jungle on finding police personnel closing on them.He said that police team searched the area and found body of a Naxal in uniform and a SlR lying next to the body. Although the identity of the insurgent is yet to be ascertained, his uniform and gun hinted that he was a hardcore Maoist and probably of the rank of Commander in the banned outfit, Kalluri added.
Meanwhile in another incident Dornapal police of Sukma district discovered 10 kg land mine during a search operation on Jagarmunda Road. The land mine was planted by the insurgents targeting police force but was discovered and neutralised, sources said.