Representative image of dead body.
Credit: iStock Photo
Bijapur: A Naxalite who was carrying a reward of Rs 8 lakh on his head was killed in an encounter with security forces in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur district on Tuesday morning, a senior police official said.
The confrontation took place around 6 am in the forest near Bandepara village under Madded police station limits, Inspector General (IG) of Police (Bastar range) Sundarraj P told PTI.
Personnel of the District Reserve Guard, Bastar Fighters and a Special Task Force (all three state police units) besides the Central Reserve Police Force's (CRPF) 170th battalion took part in the operation, he said.
They had received intelligence about the presence of senior Naxalites including Madded area committee in-charge Nagesh Padam, its secretary Buchanna, member Vishwanath and some 15-20 armed cadres in Koranjed-Bandepara forests, the official said.
After the exchange of fire stopped, Padam's body was recovered from the spot, he said.
As many as 108 warrants were pending against Padam, a divisional committee member-rank Naxalite, the IG said, adding that he was carrying a reward of Rs 8 lakh on his head.
An AK-47 rifle with three magazines and 64 rounds, explosives, medicines, Maoist banners and posters besides items of daily use were also recovered from the encounter site, he said.
Bijapur is among the 20 assembly constituencies which will go to polls in the first phase of Chhattisgarh elections on November 7.