<p>A senior Maoist leader was killed in an intense gun-battle between security forces and rebels in Chhattisgarh's insurgency-hit Rajnandgaon district, police said today.<br /><br /></p>.<p>The face-off took place last night on the Gahangatta hills under Aundhi police station limits, Rajnandgaon Superintendent of Police Sanjeev Shukla said.<br /><br />The Maoist was identified as Sunil Aayla, 'deputy commander' of Aundhi LGS (Local Guerrilla Squad), who was carrying a reward of Rs 3 lakh on his head, Shukla said.<br /><br />Based on a tip-off about a meeting of senior Naxal leaders on Gahangata hills, around 6 km from Aundhi police station, a joint squad of special task force and district police launched a search operation yesterday.<br /><br />Ultras opened fire indiscriminately from the hill top after they were surrounded, and fled after an hour as security personnel retaliated, the SP said.<br /><br />While Aayla's body was recovered, blood stains at the site indicated that some of his other colleagues were also injured or killed, the officer said.<br /><br />An SLR rifle, 50 cartridges, two tiffin-bombs, a walkie-talkie, medicines, and commodities of daily use were found.<br /><br />Associated with Naxal movement since 2005, Sunil was a native of Karyakatta village of Rajnandgaon.</p>
<p>A senior Maoist leader was killed in an intense gun-battle between security forces and rebels in Chhattisgarh's insurgency-hit Rajnandgaon district, police said today.<br /><br /></p>.<p>The face-off took place last night on the Gahangatta hills under Aundhi police station limits, Rajnandgaon Superintendent of Police Sanjeev Shukla said.<br /><br />The Maoist was identified as Sunil Aayla, 'deputy commander' of Aundhi LGS (Local Guerrilla Squad), who was carrying a reward of Rs 3 lakh on his head, Shukla said.<br /><br />Based on a tip-off about a meeting of senior Naxal leaders on Gahangata hills, around 6 km from Aundhi police station, a joint squad of special task force and district police launched a search operation yesterday.<br /><br />Ultras opened fire indiscriminately from the hill top after they were surrounded, and fled after an hour as security personnel retaliated, the SP said.<br /><br />While Aayla's body was recovered, blood stains at the site indicated that some of his other colleagues were also injured or killed, the officer said.<br /><br />An SLR rifle, 50 cartridges, two tiffin-bombs, a walkie-talkie, medicines, and commodities of daily use were found.<br /><br />Associated with Naxal movement since 2005, Sunil was a native of Karyakatta village of Rajnandgaon.</p>