Top CPI (Maoist) commander Manish Yadav, carrying a bounty of Rs 5 lakh on his head, was killed in an encounter with police and security forces in Latehar district of Jharkhand on Monday.
Officials said another top Maoist, Kundan Kharwar, who carried a reward of Rs 10 lakh, was arrested during the gunfight.
The operation in the Dauna and Karamkhar forest area under the Netarhat police station limits began on Saturday night and continued till Monday morning.
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Police had launched a search operation in the area after receiving intelligence inputs about the movement of armed Maoist squads in the region.
As the search team advanced, the Maoists, who were hiding in the forest, opened fire, leading to a fierce gun battle. After the firing ended, body of Yadav was recovered from the spot. Several weapons have also been seized from the encounter site.
"Manish Yadav, who was carrying a reward of Rs 5 lakh on his head, was killed in the gunfight with security forces. Another Maoist, Kundan Kherwar, was arrested," Palamu DIG YS Ramesh told news agency PTI.
This is the second major breakthrough in the anti-naxal operation in the state in the past three days. On Saturday, two Maoists, including Jharkhand Jan Mukti Parishad supremo Pappu Lohra, who was carrying a bounty of Rs 10 lakh on his head, were killed in an encounter in Latehar.
The joint operation was carried out by the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and the Jharkhand Police in the Ichabar forest area.
