Maoist commander gunned down in Sukma district

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Raipur: A Maoist militia commander was today gunned down in an exchange of fire with security forces in Chhattisgarh's insurgency-hit Sukma district, police said.

The skirmish took place in the wee hours between District Reserve Group (DRG) and rebels in the jungles of Dornapal Police Station limits, Sukma Additional Superintendent of Police (Anti-Naxal operations), Jitendra Shukla, told PTI.

Acting on a specific input about?the presence of a group of armed ultras in the forest between Arlampalli and Medwahi villages, around 500 km from here, a squad of DRG was dispatched to the location late last night, he said.

When the DRG party reached the target area in the early hours, they came under heavy fire from Maoist which led to gun-battle between both the sides, the ASP said.

However, ultras soon fled from the spot.

During the search, the body of a naxal clad in 'uniform', a country-made rifle, some 12 bore live ammunition, wire, and other items were recovered from the spot, he said.

The killed Maoist has been identified as Vanjam Nanda, a very active Militia commander against whom at least 12 warrants issued by various courts in grave naxal offences were pending, the ASP said.

Nanda had served as the head of Janatana Sarkar group Maoists in Arlampalli, Medwahi, Tonguda and Toyapara villages of the region, he said.