MP: Naxal carrying bounty of Rs 14 lakh gunned down in Balaghat

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh) [India], July 8 (ANI): A 30-year-old Naxal carrying a reward of Rs 14 lakh on his head was killed in an encounter with Hawk Force in a forest in Madhya Pradesh's Balaghat district, an official said on Monday.
The Naxal was identified as Sohan alias Ukas, a resident of Sukma district in Chhattisgarh. He was an expert in making IED (Improvised explosive device). He was encountered in the forest of Kothiyatola in Balaghat district on Monday, said Jaideep Prasad, ADG (Additional Director General of Police), Anti-Naxal Operations.
"On the instruction of CM Mohan Yadav, Madhya Pradesh Police is committed to Naxal eradication in the state. In this sequence, Hawkforce has killed a Naxal in an encounter in the forest of Kothiyatola in Balaghat district on Monday. He was an expert in making IED (explosives) and was involved in Naxal activities in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra. He was carrying a bounty of Rs 14 lakh on his head. A 315 bore rifle and a Kenwood wireless set have been recovered from him," Prasad told media persons.
Hawkforce had received information that there was movement of Naxals in the forest area of Kothiyatola village under Godri police post of Hatta police station in Balaghat. They were reaching Kothiyatola village in civil dress to collect ration and daily use items. Acting on the information, Hawkforce started an intensive search operation in the forest.
"Hawkforce stopped 10-12 Naxalites going in civil dress to Kothiyatola village for interrogation. During this, the suspected Naxals opened indiscriminate fire on the Hawk Force. The Hawk Force retaliated and the Naxals fled away from the spot. During the search, the body of a Naxalite was recovered. He was identified as Sohan alias Ukas, a resident of Sukma district in Chhattisgarh. There is a strong possibility that some other Naxalites have been injured in the encounter, whose search is going on," he added.
Naxal Sohan was involved in many incidents in Chhattisgarh since 2013 by joining the banned organisation Communist Party of India (Maoist). There were eight criminal cases registered against him in Madhya Pradesh. Information about criminal cases registered in other states was being obtained, the officer said.
ADG Prasad further told ANI, "Sohan alias Ukas, who was ACM (Area Committee Member) and had a bounty of Rs 14 lakh on his head was killed in an encounter by Hawk force and Balaghat Police. There were accomplices with him who had escaped. The search operation is still underway. Madhya Pradesh CM Mohan Yadav is giving all the support and back-to-back three encounters have happened so far in his tenure."
First encounter occurred in December last year, second in April this year and third one on Monday, he added. (ANI)