A Maoist cadre carrying a reward of ₹5 lakh was killed in an encounter with security forces in Chhattisgarh’s Sukma district on Sunday, police said. Maoist carrying ₹5 lakh reward killed in Sukma encounter (Representative photo)
A team of the District Reserve Guard (DRG) had launched a search operation based on intelligence inputs about Maoist presence, during which a gunbattle broke out in a forested, hilly area.
Sukma Superintendent of Police (SP) Kiran Chavan said that intermittent firing continued between the DRG team and Maoists since the morning hours.
“During the search of the encounter site, the body of one male Maoist along with a weapon was recovered,” Chavan said.
Police identified the deceased as Moochaki Kailash, a platoon number 31 section commander (PPCM) and a resident of Poolanpad village in Sukma district.
Police said Kailash was carrying a reward of ₹5 lakh on his head and was wanted in multiple cases, including civilian killings, attacks on security forces and IED blast conspiracies.
Inspector General of Police of Bastar Range Sundarraj P said the window for Maoist cadres to surrender and avail rehabilitation benefits is “in its final phase,” appealing to the remaining cadres to shun violence and join mainstream life.
The development comes amid repeated assertions by Union Home Minister Amit Shah that Left Wing Extremism would be eradicated from the country by March 31, 2026, with security forces intensifying operations in core areas of Bastar.
Further details are awaited as search operations in the area are ongoing, police officers said.