RANCHI: A Maoist belonging to the People's Liberation Front of India (PLFI) was gunned down in an encounter with the security forces in the Thalkobeda forests on the borders of Khunti and West Singhbhum districts in the early hours of Friday.
The police said that three weapons along with a large cache of ammunition were recovered from the encounter site.
Acting on a tip-off, the security forces spotted some PLFI cadres on the borders of Rania and Gudri police stations. A team comprising 94 battalions of CRPF was rushed to the spot, following which a gunfight ensued.
“One rebel has been killed while others managed to escape from the spot. Meanwhile, an intensive search operation has been launched in the area blocking the exit points,” said CRPF IG Sanjay Anand Latkar.
The identity of the deceased rebel is yet to be verified, he added.
Anand said that three weapons along with two magazines of AK-47, mobile phones, back-packs and other articles used by rebels have also been recovered from the spot.