Security forces on Friday killed a Maoist allegedly involved in the killings of Bharatiya Janata Party MLA Bheema Mandavi and four policemen in April, police officials said. Hurra, who was gunned down in Chhattisgarh’s Sukma district, had a reward of Rs 5 lakh on his head, PTI reported.
The encounter started around 10 am in the forest area of Misse Dabba under Tongpal police station’s jurisdiction in Sukma. Dantewada Superintendent of Police Abhishek Pallava said that a team of the District Reserve Guard had carried out the anti-Maoist operation.
After exchanging fire for some time, the Maoists escaped. However, during search operations, the body of Hurra, a member of the Katekalyan Area Committee of Maoists, was discovered. A .303 rifle was also recovered. “Blood stains were found at the spot indicating some more ultras might have been injured or killed in the gun battle,” PTI quoted Pallava as saying. The anti-Maoist operation was launched two days ago along the border areas of Dantewada and Sukma districts.
Mandavi was killed along with four others in a Maoist attack on his convoy on April 9. Mandavi was returning from election campaigning when the attack took place. On April 18, the Chhattisgarh Police said that they had killed two Maoists suspected to have been involved in the blast triggered by an improvised explosive device.
In May, a senior Maoist leader, allegedly involved in the attack on the BJP MLA, was killed in an encounter with security personnel. The body of Local Organisation Squad of Malangir Area Committee of Maoists member Guddi was found after the encounter ended.
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