Bijapur, July 7: A senior Maoist leader was killed in a gunfight with security forces inside the dense terrain of Bijapur National Park in Chhattisgarh.

The deceased has been identified as Sodhi Kanna, deputy commander of Company No. 2 under PLGA Battalion No. 1. He had carried a bounty of Rs 8 lakh on his head and was reportedly involved in multiple insurgent activities across Chhattisgarh.

Acting on reliable inputs about the presence of Maoists in the area, Bijapur and Dantewada DRG, elite units from COBRA battalions 202 and 210, and the STF launched a combing operation. During this, the Maoists opened firing and in retaliation, the security forces gunned down Sodi.

Security forces also recovered a cache of weapons from the site, including one 303 rifle, a magazine of an AK-47 rifle, 64 live bullets, and Maoist materials.

Reportedly, the area has been cordoned off and combing operation is underway till the last report came in.

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