Chhattisgarh: Woman Naxal killed in encounter in Dantwewada

Raipur: A woman Naxal, carrying a reward of Rs 2 lakh on her head, was killed in an encounter with security personnel in Chhattisgarh’s Dantewada district on Monday, a police official said.

The gunfight took place around 6.30 am near Gumalnar village under Geedam police station limits when a team of the District Reserve Guard (DRG) was out on an anti-Naxal operation, Superintendent of Police Abhishek Pallava said.

After a brief exchange of fire, the rebels escaped.

Later, the body of a woman Naxal, identified as Vaiko Pekko (24) was recovered from the spot, located around 400 km away from the state capital Raipur, the official said.

The rebel, a native of Bhairamgarh area in the neighbouring Bijapur district, was active as member of the PLGA (People’s Liberation Guerrilla Army) platoon no.16 of Maoists and carried a reward of Rs 2 lakh on her head.

Two country-made firearms, an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) weighing 2 kg, other Maoist material, medicines and items of daily use were also recovered from the encounter site, the official said.