Naxal killed in face-off with security forces

ANaxalwas today gunned down in an exchange of fire with security forces in the dense forest of Chhattisgarh's insurgency-hit Bastar district, police said.
The skirmish took place this morning while a joint team of District Reserve Group (DRG) and Special Task Force (STF) was conducting an anti-Maoist operation in the core jungle of Mardoom police station area, Bastar Superintendent of Police, RN Dash told PTI.
Acting on specific inputs, security personnel had launched the operation last night towardsTunderforest area of Mardoom, located around 350kmsaway from the state capital Raipur.
While security forces were cordoning off a forest pocket this morning, they were attacked by a squad of ultras belonging toBarsoorArea Committee of Maoist led byVilash andSinghanna, the SP said.

The gun-battle lasted for about an hour before the ultras fled from the spot, he said.
During the search, body of one male Maoist clad in 'uniform', two 315 bore rifles, one directional pipe bomb with its container and huge dump of other Naxal-related items were recovered from the spot, he added.
Patrol party suspect that some more naxalsmighthavealso been injured in the gun battle as bloodstains were found at thespot, the SP said, adding thatsecurity forces were chasing theattackers deepinside the forested area. Further details are awaited.