Naxal "deputy commander" killed in Chhattisgarh

A naxal "deputy commander" was Monday gunned down in an exchange of fire with security forces in Chhattisgarhs Sukma district, police said.

The gun-battle took place this afternoon in the forest of Pandupara village when a team of the District Reserve Guard (DRG) was out on an anti-naxal operation, Special Director General (anti-naxal operation) D M Awasthi told PTI.

The squad of DRG, the state police's counter- insurgency force, had launched the operation towards Sirsetti and Muler villages, located around 500km from the capital Raipur, Sunday night, he said.

When the patrolling team was cordoning off forest near Panudpara Monday, it came under fire from a group of naxals that led to the gunfight.

After a brief exchange of fire, naxals fled into the core forest area, the senior police officer added.

During a search of the spot, the troops recovered the body of a rebel who was identified as Chinga, a "deputy commander" of the Kerlapal area committee of Maoists, Awasthi said.

Further details were awaited as the search operation was still underway in the region, he added.