Bounty Naxalite Killed in Madhya Pradesh Encounter

A Naxalite with an Rs 14 lakh bounty was killed during an encounter with security forces in Madhya Pradesh's Balaghat district. The gunfight occurred in the Kathiatola forest. The police recovered the body of Sohan, an IED expert, and continue to search for others. A rifle and wireless were found.

A Naxalite carrying a bounty of Rs 14 lakh was killed in an encounter with security forces in Madhya Pradesh's Balaghat district on Monday, a senior police official said. The gun battle occurred in the Kathiatola forest area under Hatta police station, Additional Director General (ADG), anti-Naxal operations, Jaideep Prasad told reporters here.

The state police's hawk force had received information that some Naxalites had reached Kathiatola village to collect groceries, he said.

During the search operation, the hawk force called out a group of 10-12 Naxalites in the forest for interrogation, but they opened fire, the official said.

When the police started firing in retaliation, Naxalites hiding in the dense forest and hills fled the spot, he said.

The police later recovered the body of Sohan alias Ukas aka Aayutu, the official said, adding that a search is underway for others who might have been injured in the shooting.

Aayatu, a resident of Sukma district in neighbouring Chhattisgarh, was an expert in making IEDs and had eight cases to his name in Madhya Pradesh, he said.

The deceased Naxalite was active in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra and carried a reward of Rs 14 lakh, he said.

The police recovered a 315-bore rifle and a wireless set from the deceased, he said.

At least 19 Naxalites, carrying a collective reward of Rs 3.14 crore in the three states, were gunned down in Madhya Pradesh in the last five years, the official said.

(With inputs from agencies.)