Woman Naxalite with Rs 5 lakh bounty killed in encounter in Chhattisgarh

Sukma, Sep 18 (PTI) A woman Naxalite, wanted in nine incidents of violence and carrying a reward of Rs 5 lakh on her head, was killed in an encounter with security personnel in Chhattisgarh's Sukma district on Thursday, police said.

The gun battle broke out in the morning on a forested hill between Gufdi and Permapara villages under Gadiras police station limits, when a team of District Reserve Guard (DRG), a unit of state police, was out on a search operation, an official here said.

The operation was launched based on inputs about the presence of Naxalites in the area, the police official said.

After the exchange of fire stopped, the body of a woman Naxalite, identified as Buski Nuppo (35), was recovered from the encounter site, he said.

Besides, a 315 bore rifle, its five cartridges, one wireless set, eight detonators, Cordex wire (of approximately 10 metres), four gelatin rods, gunpowder, a radio, Maoist literature and other materials were also seized from the spot, he added.

Nuppo, a member of the Malangir area committee of Maoists, was wanted in 9 serious Naxal-related cases in three police stations of Sukma and Dantewada, the official said, adding that she carried a reward of Rs 5 lakh on her head.

With the latest action, 247 Naxalites have been killed in separate encounters in Chhattisgarh so far this year. Of them, 218 were eliminated in the Bastar division, comprising seven districts, while 27 others were gunned down in Gariaband district, which falls in Raipur division.

Two other Naxalites were killed in Mohla-Manpur-Ambagarh Chowki district in Durg division.

Ten Naxalites, including a central committee member of the outlawed CPI (Maoist), Modem Balakrishna, were killed in an encounter in the state's Gariaband district on September 11, according to police. PTI COR TKP GK