<p>A Naxal, carrying a cash reward of Rs 5 lakh on his head and wanted in nearly 25 criminal cases, was gunned down during an encounter with security personnel in Chhattisgarh's Dantewada district on Sunday, police said.</p>.<p>The gunfight took place at a forest in Pordem at around 12.30 pm, they said. A team of the District Reserve Group (DRG) during an anti-Naxal exercise came under fire from rebels, following which the security personnel launched retaliatory action, they said.</p>.<p>The rebels later fled the spot, taking cover of the thick vegetation in the forest, located around 400 km from Raipur, he said. “During a search of the area, the security personnel recovered the body of a Naxal along with a pistol and other articles of daily use. The slain cadre was identified as Santosh Markam, member of the Malangir Area Committee of rebels. He was carrying a cash reward of Rs 5 lakh on his head,” Dantewada Superintendent of Police Abhishek Pallava said.</p>.<p>Around 25 criminal cases were registered against the slain Naxal at Aranpur police station, he added.</p>
<p>A Naxal, carrying a cash reward of Rs 5 lakh on his head and wanted in nearly 25 criminal cases, was gunned down during an encounter with security personnel in Chhattisgarh's Dantewada district on Sunday, police said.</p>.<p>The gunfight took place at a forest in Pordem at around 12.30 pm, they said. A team of the District Reserve Group (DRG) during an anti-Naxal exercise came under fire from rebels, following which the security personnel launched retaliatory action, they said.</p>.<p>The rebels later fled the spot, taking cover of the thick vegetation in the forest, located around 400 km from Raipur, he said. “During a search of the area, the security personnel recovered the body of a Naxal along with a pistol and other articles of daily use. The slain cadre was identified as Santosh Markam, member of the Malangir Area Committee of rebels. He was carrying a cash reward of Rs 5 lakh on his head,” Dantewada Superintendent of Police Abhishek Pallava said.</p>.<p>Around 25 criminal cases were registered against the slain Naxal at Aranpur police station, he added.</p>