Balaghat (Madhya Pradesh): A naxalite carrying a reward of Rs 12 lakh was gunned down in an encounter that took place in the jungles of Harratola in the early hours of Sunday, police said. The encounter took place between naxalites and Hawk Force.
Additional Superintendent of police (ASP) Vijay Dabar said that the Hawk Force gunned down naxalite Rupesh while other naxalites who received injuries fled from the spot. In the encounter, the police seized one AK-47, naxal literature, AK-47, 303 and 12 bore gun and cartridges from the encounter site.
ASP Dabar added that Rupesh was the guard of another dreaded naxalite Surendra. Surendra is member of Kanha Bhairam Dev Dalam. Search is on for other naxalites, he said.
On November 30, two naxals of Kanha Bhairam Deve Dalam were gunned down in Balaghat. The first incident took place on June 20 this year. The naxals who were gunned down were carrying reward of Rs 57 lakh on their head.
The divisional committee member Nagesh was carrying reward of Rs 29 lakh announced by Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh and MP. The two area commanders - Manoj and one woman Rame -were killed in the gun fight that took place in jungle of Lodhagi under Bahela police post area. Both area commanders carried reward of Rs 14 lakh each on their arrest. This area is located along Maharashtra border.
In MP, several Dalams are functional. As per reports, Vistar Platoon-2 and Vistar Platoon-3 of the CPI(Maoists) Kavardha-Balaghat (KB Division) are working in the state. They plan to establish a left wing extremist (LWE) corridor from Kavardha to Dindori via Balaghat and Mandla districts.
The deceased naxal Rupesh was the resident of Sukma in Chhattisgarh. More than 20 cases are registered against him in MP and Chhattisgarh. After Jhiram Ghati naxal attack by Dand Karnay Special Zonal Committee in 2015, Rupesh was given important charge along with naxal leader Surendra.
