A Maoist with a bounty of Rs 5 lakh on his head and wanted in nearly 25 criminal cases was gunned down in an encounter with security personnel in Chhattisgarh's Dantewada district today, police said.
The gunfight took place at a forest in Pordem around 12.30 pm, they said.
A team of the District Reserve Group came under fire from the Maoists during an operation and the security personnel retaliated, police said.
The Maoists later fled, taking cover of the thick vegetation in the forest, located around 400 km from Raipur, they said.
"During a search of the area, the security personnel recovered the body of a Naxal along with a pistol and other articles of daily use. The slain cadre was identified as Santosh Markam, member of the Malangir Area Committee of rebels. He was carrying a cash reward of Rs 5 lakh on his head," Dantewada Superintendent of Police Abhishek Pallava said.
There are about 25 criminal cases against the Maoist at the Aranpur police station, he added.
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