A Naxal commander was today gunned down in an encounter with security forces in Chhattisgarh's insurgency-hit Bijapur district...

A Naxal commander was today gunned down in an encounter with security forces in Chhattisgarh's insurgency-hit Bijapur district, police said. The gun-battle took place early this morning in the jungles of Jaramongia jungles under Bhairamgarh police station limits when a joint team of District Reserve Guard (DRG) and local police was out on an anti-Naxal operation, Bijapur Superintendent of Police Mohit Garg told PTI.

Gun-battle took place early this morning

"When the patrolling team was cordoning off Jaramongia jungles, located around 500 km away from the state capital, it came under heavy fire by a group of 25-30 ultras following which gun-battle broke out between the two sides," he said. The exchange of fire lasted for about an hour, after which the ultras fled into the dense forest, he said.

Anti-Naxal operation

"During a search of the spot, the body of a Maoist clad in 'uniform' along with one 7.62 mm pistol and its 3 live rounds, explosives, detonators, tiffin bomb, Naxal literature and Maoist related items were recovered from the spot," he said. The deceased Naxal was identified as Moti Farsa (28), who was active as Ider militia platoon commander of Maoists, Garg said. Further details are awaited as security forces were still carrying out a search of the area, he added.