Raipur: A 30-year-old naxal 'commander', carrying Rs one-lakh reward on his head, was shot dead in a police encounter in insurgency-hit Kondagaon district on Friday.
The deceased, identified as Sudhram, a native of Sahpadarpara in Kudur, was a Jan Militia commander, police said.
The skirmish took place early this morning between a team of district force and rebels in the dense forests of Kudur-Rakasmeta villages under Mardapal police station limits, Kondagaon Superintendent of Police, JS Watti, said.
As per the operational plan, a police team set off from Mardapal, located around 350 kms away from here, last night towards interior forests where movement of rebels was reported.
While the party was returning during the wee hours, a group of Maoists fired upon them in jungles between Kudur and Rakasmeta, prompting security forces to retaliate, he said.
On finding security personnel zeroing in on them, ultras fled from the spot. Later, during searching, body of a rebel clad in 'uniform' was recovered from there, he said. A muzzle loading gun, a tiffin bomb, wires and Maoist related materials were also were seized from the spot.
According to police, Sudhram was a dreaded member of the outlawed CPI (Maoist) in the region, the SP said, adding that he was wanted in as many as 30 cases in the district.
