8 Maoists gunned down in J'khand

Central committee member carrying ₹1 cr reward among those killed in Bokaro encounter

- MUKESH RANJAN @Ranchi

AS part of the ongoing anti-Maoist offensive, security forces on Monday gunned down at least eight cadres of the banned militant outfit, including Central Committee Member Vivek having a bounty of ₹1 crore on his head, in an encounter in Lugu Pahar area of Jharkhand's Bokaro. Notably, this is the first time a Maoist cadre with such an enormous prize on his head has been killed in an encounter.

According to police, the dead bodies of all eight Maoists killed in the encounter, including Vivek, have been recovered. "One AK series rifle, one SLR, three INSAS rifles, one pistol and eight country-made rifles have been recovered from the spot. No injury has been reported so far on the side of security forces," a senior officer said.

Although firing has stopped, search operations are on to apprehend other Maoists who may have fled the area under the cover of dense foliage, police said.