Madhya Pradesh: 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, according to Additional Director General (ADG) of anti-Naxal operations, Jaideep Prasad.
The gun battle took place in the Kathiatola forest area under Hatta police station jurisdiction. The state police’s hawk force had received intelligence about Naxalites arriving in Kathiatola village to collect groceries.
During a search operation, the hawk force called out a group of 10-12 Naxalites in the forest. However, the group opened fire on the security personnel, prompting a retaliatory response. The ensuing gunfight led to most of the Naxalites fleeing into the dense forest and hills.
The police recovered the body of Sohan, also known as Ukas or Aayutu, a resident of the Sukma district in neighbouring Chhattisgarh. Sohan was reportedly an expert in manufacturing IEDs and had eight cases registered against him in Madhya Pradesh alone. He was active across Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Maharashtra.
ADG Prasad emphasized the significance of this operation, noting that in the past five years, security forces in Madhya Pradesh have neutralized 19 Naxalites who collectively carried rewards totalling Rs 3.14 crore across the three states.
