A Maoist "commander" was today gunned down by security forces in an encounter in Chhattisgarh's insurgency-hit Kanker district, police said.
The gunfight started this afternoon in the forests close to Alparas village under Koyalibeda police station limits when a team of a District Reserve Group (DRG) was out on an anti- Maoist operation in the region, Inspector General of Police (Bastar Range) SRP Kalluri told PTI.
Security forces had stepped up operations in the forests on the border of Kanker and Narayanpur districts after three villagers were killed by Naxals at Hurrapinjodi village in Amabeda police station area of Kanker on September 30, he said.
On receiving inputs about the presence of a commander-rank cadre Raju Salaam in Koyalibeda area, located around 300 kms away from here, a squad of DRG along with local police was dispatched from Narayanpur, the IG said.
While the police party was advancing into Alparas forests, they were confronted by a group of Maoists leading to a gun- battle, Kalluri said, adding that Maoists were caught by surprise as security forces had entered inaccessible areas.
The body of a Maoist, one INSAS rifle and one 315 bore rifle besides other items were recovered from the spot during searching after the gun-fight, he said.
"As per preliminary reports, the dead Maoist had an olive green cap with three stars. This indicates he was a commander- rank Maoist," the IG said.
Security forces suspect that either the dead Naxal could be Raju Salaam, the area committee secretary in Raoghat area, or Deepak, the commander of company number five, he said, adding his identity is yet to be ascertained.
More details are awaited as security forces were still inside the core forest, he added.
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