Naxal expert in planting IEDs killed in face-off with police

A Naxal, who was an expert in planting IEDs, was today gunned down by security forces in Chhattisgarh's insurgency-hit Sukma district, police said.
The encounter took place this morning when a joint team of security personnel was conducting an anti-Maoist operation in a forest under Maraiguda police station limits, Sukma Superintendent of Police Indira Kalyan Elesela told PTI.
"The Maoist was identified as Sodi Ganga, a jan militia commander, who was a key person for planting Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) on Maraiguda-Gollapalli road which had caused harm to oursecurity forces several times in the past," he said.
On specific inputs about the presence of Maoist cadres near Virapuram village of Maraiguda region, around 450 kms from here,a compositesquad ofDistrict Reserve Group, Central Reserve Police Force and its elite unit CoBRA (Commando Battalion for Resolute Action) launched the operation, he said.

The search party came under heavy firing by a group of Maoists while it was close to Virapuram following which a gun-battle broke out between the two sides, the SP said adding the rebels soon fled from the spot taking cover of the forest.
During search, the body of the Maoist, a muzzle loading gun, a 315 bore gun, gelatin, detonators and other items of daily use were recovered from the spot, he added.