Security forces gunned down a member of CPI (Maoist) in the forest area of Marwa locality under Chainpur police station about 55 km from Gumla district headquarters on Monday morning.
The encounter took place on Monday around 8 am and it continued for around one hour.
The first encounter took place between CRPF and rebels the second encounter took place around 1.30 pm in the same forest area between Jharkhand Jaguar and rebels.
While the search operation was going on, security forces recovered a 303 rifle besides a backpack from the possession of the deceased rebel, who died during the first encounter. In the second encounter a rebel was injured and police recovered live bullets besides some other items. However, police did not disclose if anything was recovered from the backpack of the deceased rebel.
The identity of the deceased rebel has yet not been established. Body has been taken to Sadar hospital for postmortem and for identification. Sources, in the police said that the deceased rebel was part of the armed squad of Budheswar Oraon; the dreaded rebel of CPI (Maoist).
Oraon, a native of Gumla is a hardcore rebel who carries Rs 15 lakh cash prize over his head. He is wanted by police in over a dozen cases of naxal violence.
Sources said they had information about the movement of armed rebels in the forest area. Accordingly, a joint operation of Gumla police, Jharkhand Jaguar and 203 CoBRA battalion of CRPF was planned.
On Monday morning, security forces made a tactical move in the forest area. In the morning security forces spotted around a dozen armed rebels of CPI (Maoist). As security forces asked them to surrender, rebels opened fire. Security forces also opened retaliatory fire, killing one rebel. Rebels retreated in the dense forest and unsuccessfully tried to carry away the dead body of the deceased. Since the encounter took place close to a village; security forces asked villagers to stay indoors.
The CPI (Maoist) has received a second blow in Gumla in the last one week. Gumla police arrested another dreaded rebel Madhav Bhagat under Chainpur police station area who carried Rs 1 lakh cash prize on his head. He was involved in murder of five policemen at Chainpur under Chainpur police station area in 2013. Besides, he was involved in attack on Chainpur police station and Chainpur block also.