A 30-year-old Naxal, who had a bounty of Rs 14 lakh on his head, was fatally shot in an encounter with the Hawk Force in a forest area of Madhya Pradesh’s Balaghat district, as reported by an official on Monday.
The Naxal, identified as Sohan alias Ukas from Sukma district in Chhattisgarh, known for his expertise in making Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), was engaged in an encounter in the Kothiyatola forest of Balaghat district on Monday, according to Jaideep Prasad, ADG (Additional Director General of Police), Anti-Naxal Operations.
“On the instruction of CM Mohan Yadav, Madhya Pradesh Police is committed to Naxal eradication in the state. In this sequence, Hawkforce has killed a Naxal in an encounter in the forest of Kothiyatola in Balaghat district on Monday. He was an expert in making IED (explosives) and was involved in Naxal activities in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra. He was carrying a bounty of Rs 14 lakh on his head. A 315 bore rifle and a Kenwood wireless set have been recovered from him,” Prasad told media persons.
Hawk Force received intelligence about Naxal movement in the forest area near Kothiyatola village under the jurisdiction of Godri police post, Hatta police station in Balaghat district. The Naxals were reportedly visiting Kothiyatola village in civilian clothing to procure ration and daily necessities. In response, Hawk Force initiated a thorough search operation in the forest.
“Hawkforce stopped 10-12 Naxalites going in civil dress to Kothiyatola village for interrogation. During this, the suspected Naxals opened indiscriminate fire on the Hawk Force. The Hawk Force retaliated and the Naxals fled away from the spot. During the search, the body of a Naxalite was recovered. He was identified as Sohan alias Ukas, a resident of Sukma district in Chhattisgarh. There is a strong possibility that some other Naxalites have been injured in the encounter, whose search is going on,” he added.
Sohan, a Naxal operative, has been implicated in numerous incidents in Chhattisgarh since 2013 after affiliating with the banned group Communist Party of India (Maoist). He faced eight criminal cases filed against him in Madhya Pradesh. Authorities are also gathering information on criminal cases filed against him in other states, stated the officer.
ANI quoted ADG Prasad , “Sohan alias Ukas, who was ACM (Area Committee Member) and had a bounty of Rs 14 lakh on his head was killed in an encounter by Hawk force and Balaghat Police. There were accomplices with him who had escaped. The search operation is still underway. Madhya Pradesh CM Mohan Yadav is giving all the support and back-to-back three encounters have happened so far in his tenure.”
The first encounter took place in December of the previous year, followed by a second in April of this year, with the third occurring on Monday, he elaborated.