Raipur: Security forces gunned down a top Maoist commander, Booski Nuppo, during an intense encounter in the forested hills between Gufdi and Permapara under Gadiras police station limits in Chhattisgarh's Sukma district on Thursday. 

Nuppo, a 35-year-old resident of Rewali village in Dantewada district, was an active member of the Malangir Area Committee and carried a bounty of Rs 5 lakh on her head.

She was wanted in nine serious cases across Sukma and Dantewada, including seven in Aranpur, one in Kuankonda, and one in Gadiras.

The operation was launched early this morning following intelligence inputs about the presence of Maoists in the region.

The District Reserve Guard (DRG) team engaged in a firefight with the insurgents, resulting in the death of Nuppo.

Her body was recovered along with a cache of arms and explosives. Recovered items from the encounter site include: one 315 bore rifle and five cartridges, one wireless set, eight detonators, approximately 10 metres of cordex wire, four gelatin rods, explosives, a radio, a backpack, and Maoist literature and other daily-use items.

Superintendent of Police, Sukma, Kiran Chavan, confirmed the successful operation and emphasised the significance of neutralising a high-ranking Maoist figure.

Inspector General of Police, Bastar Range, Sundarraj P, urged remaining Maoist cadres to recognise the decline of the movement and surrender.

He encouraged them to embrace the government's rehabilitation policy and reintegrate into mainstream society. This encounter marks a significant step in the ongoing efforts to dismantle Maoist strongholds in Chhattisgarh.

On Wednesday, security forces in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur district neutralised two armed Maoists during a fierce encounter in the forested region of Mankeli-Gorna.

The operation, led by the District Reserve Guard (DRG) and supported by the CRPF and local police, followed credible Intelligence reports of Maoists' presence in the area.

The joint team launched a search mission early Wednesday morning, venturing into the dense forests of Southwestern Bijapur, and during the encounter, two Maoists were neutralised. (IANS)