Maoist, accused of killing BJP MLA Bhima Mandavi in Dantewada, gunned down in encounter

One Maoist, was an accused in the killing of BJP MLA Bhima Mandavi in Chhattisgarh’s Dantewada in April, was gunned down in an exchange of fire with the District Reserve Guard near a forest area of Hiroli on Sunday, said Dantewada Superintendent of Police Abhishek Pallava.

The skirmish took place in the jungles of Hiroli under Kirandul police station area when a squad of police's District Reserve Guard (DRG) was out on anti-Maoists operation, Dantewada Pallava told news agency PTI.

As the police team was advancing through Hiroli, around 450 km from Raipur, the exchange of fire broke out between the two sides, he said.

After the Maoists fled, the body of Guddi, a member of Local Organisation Squad of Malangir Area Committee of Maoists, was found. A revolver with six rounds was also recovered from the spot, Pallava said.

He was suspected to be involved in around 40 cases of Maoists violence, including the killing of BJP MLA Bhima Mandavi and four security personnel.

Mandavi and the policemen died when an improvised explosive device (IED) blew up their vehicle near Shyamgiri village in Dantewada on April 9.

Guddi was carrying a reward of Rs 1 lakh on his head. Commandos of the recently set up women platoon of DRG, `Danteshwari Ladake' (fighters of goddess Danteshwari), also took part in Sunday's encounter with Maoists, the police officer said.