SAA event in Chhattisgarh, Naimed Police Station limits in Bijapur District area, India on Fri 11th March 2022

A Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) ‘commander’, carrying a reward of INR 300,000 on his head, was killed in an encounter with Security Forces (SFs) at a forest near Kaika and Mosla villages under Naimed Police Station limits in Bijapur District of Chhattisgarh on March 11 (today) morning, reports The Hindu. A trooper of the District Reserve Guard (DRG) was also injured in the gunfight. The encounter took place at around 8.30 a.m. [IST] at a forest near Kaika and Mosla villages, when a group of armed Maoists opened fire on a joint team of the DRG and 222nd battalion of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) patrolling team leading to the gun-battle. After the exchange of fire stopped, the body of a male Maoist along with a 12 bore rifle and Maoist-related material were recovered from the encounter spot. "The killed ultra was identified as Ritesh Punem, who was active as commander of Sendra Local Organisation Squad (LOS) of Maoists," Inspector General of Police (IGP), Bastar range, Sundarraj P. said, adding that he carried a reward of INR 300,000 on his head.