By Rabindra Nath Choudhury

Copyright deccanchronicle

Raipur: A female Maoist carrying a bounty of Rs five lakh was on Thursday gunned down in an encounter with the security forces in a forest in Sukma district under south Bastar of Chhattisgarh. According to the police, the encounter took place in the jungle between Gufdi and Perampara villages under Gadiras police station in the afternoon. A search operation by the district reserve guard (DRG) was launched in the forest following intelligence inputs on the presence of a group of armed Maoists, Sukma district superintendent of police Kiran Chavan said. An encounter ensued between the Maoists and the security forces, leading to killing of an ultra, police said. The slain Maoist has been identified as Buski Noppo (35), an area committee member (ACM) functioning under the Malangir area committee, police said. One .315 bore rifle, a wireless set, eight detonators and other explosive materials were also recovered at the encounter site, police said. Meanwhile, two Naxals, killed in an encounter with the security forces in Gangaloor area under Bijapur district in south Bastar on Wednesday, have been identified as Raghu Hapka (33), an ACM carrying a bounty of Rs five lakh, and Sukku Hemla (32), deputy commander of Peddakorme militia platoon carrying a reward of Rs two lakh, police said.