Maoist commander involved in Darbha valley attack killed in Chhattisgarh’s Dantewada

Police said that the Maoist, Dashru Punem, was involved in about a dozen cases of Maoist violence including Dharbha valley attack in 2013.

A Maoist commander, carrying a reward of Rs 8 lakh on his head and being allegedly involved in Dharbha Valley attack in 2013, was gunned down in an encounter with security forces in Chhattisgarh’s Dantewada district on Tuesday.

According to Dantewada Superintendent of Police the encounter took place in a forest between Hurrepal and Bechapal hills in the wee hours of Tuesday. (File photo.)

Police said that the Maoist, Dashru Punem, was working as ‘section commander’ of Military Company Number -2 of CPI (Maoist). He was involved in about a dozen cases of Maoist violence including Dharbha valley attack in 2013.

According to Dantewada Superintendent of Police Abhishek Pallav, the encounter took place in a forest between Hurrepal and Bechapal hills in the wee hours of Tuesday.

“A joint team of District Reserve Guard (DRG) and the Special Task Force was out on an anti-Naxal operation. After a brief encounter, the Maoist fled from the spot. Later, we recovered a body of a Maoist in a ‘uniform’ who was identified as Punem,” said the SP.

The SP further said that Punem was carrying Rs 8 lakh reward on his head and was involved in about 14 cases of Maoist violence in different districts of Bastar.

As per the press release issued by the Dantewada Police, Punem was involved in Maoist attack and violence in Bijapur, Dantewada and Sukma district.

“He was also involved in Dharbha valley attack in which 27 people including Congress leaders were killed,” said the SP.