Sukma: A Maoist, who was wanted in connection with 16 cases and carried a bounty of ₹1 lakh on his head, was killed in an encounter with the police in Chhattisgarh's Sukma district on Saturday, an official said.

The gunfight took place around 6.30 am in the forest near Banjarpara village under Polampalli police station limits, where a team of police personnel was out on an anti-Naxal operation, the official said.

The operation was launched on Friday night based on inputs about the presence of senior Maoists, including the secretary of the Konta area committee of Maoists, Vetti Mangdu, and area command-in-chief Hitesh, along with 15-20 cadres in forests of Tolnai, Tetrai, Banjarpara, and Arlampalli villages, he said.

The exchange of fire lasted for about 20 to 25 minutes, following which Maoists escaped into the dense forest after security personnel started zeroing in on them, the official said.

During a search at the encounter site, the police team recovered the body of a Maoist, a muzzle-loading gun, a tiffin bomb, three gelatine rods, an improvised explosive device (IED), two Cordex wires, a Maoist uniform and items of daily use, he said.

The Maoist, Dudhi Hunga (35), was active as the militia commander of the RPC (Revolutionary People's Committee) in the Konta area committee of Maoists, he said.

Hunga was wanted in 16 cases registered in three police stations of Sukma district and was carrying a bounty of ₹ 1 lakh on his head, the official said.

With this incident, 105 Maoists have been killed in separate encounters with security forces in the state so far this year.

On May 10, 12 Maoists were killed in an encounter with security personnel in Bijapur district, while 10, including three women, were gunned down in a forest along the border of Narayanpur and Kanker districts on April 30.

On April 16, 29 Maoists died in an encounter with security forces in the state's Kanker district, police said.

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