Dantewada, a Naxalite carrying a bounty of $Five lakh people were killed in an encounter with security personnel in Chhattisgarh’s Dantewada district, police said on Thursday.
Dantewada Superintendent of Police Gaurav Rai said the fighting took place on Wednesday evening in forested hills below Geedam police station area, when a joint team of district reserve guards and Bastar militants, both state police units, were on an anti-Naxal operation.
The police received information on March 3 that Naxalites were hiding weapons and other materials in the forested hill area between Gomalnar, Girsapara and Nilguda villages in Geedam district bordering Bijapur district. He added that based on the information, the operation was launched.
He added that when the patrolling team was encircling the forest hills, 8 to 10 Naxalites belonging to the Bhairamgarh District Committee of the Maoist organisation, started firing indiscriminately from their automatic weapons, leading to an exchange of fire.
Taking advantage of the dense forests, hilly terrain and darkness, most of the Naxalites managed to flee the place. The official added that during the inspection of the site of the clash, the body of a Naxalite was recovered, in addition to weapons and ammunition.
The neutralized Naxalite has been identified as Rajesh Poonam, a resident of Brji village under Gangalur police station limits in Bijapur district, Rai said. Punem carried a bounty of $5 lakh.
He added that the materials found included a self-loading rifle, an INSAS rifle, a pistol with a safe, a walkie-talkie, several magazines, live SLR and INSAS cartridges, a pistol, in addition to empty shells.
Police said a search operation was underway in the area.
With this action, at least 26 Naxalites have been killed in separate encounters in Chhattisgarh so far this year.
On January 3, according to officials, 14 Maoists were shot dead in two encounters in Bastar district, which includes seven districts, including Dantewada.
Last year, 285 rebels were killed in confrontations with security forces in Chhattisgarh.
The Center has set a deadline of March 31 this year to eliminate left-wing extremism in the country.
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