Raipur, September 18: A 35-year-old female Maoist, who was facing a ₹5 lakh bounty, was gunned down in a fierce encounter with security forces in Sukma district, Chhattisgarh, on Thursday, according to police reports.

The gunbattle erupted in the morning within the dense, hilly forest between the villages of Gufdi and Permapara, under the jurisdiction of the Gadiras police station. A search operation was initiated by the District Reserve Guard (DRG) after receiving precise intelligence inputs, confirmed a police officer.

After the gunfight, the body of the Maoist, identified as Buski Nuppo, was found at the site.

Authorities also recovered a range of items from the scene, including a .315 bore rifle, five cartridges, a wireless set, eight detonators, a 10-meter-long Cordex wire, four gelatin rods, gunpowder, a radio, Maoist literature, and other materials.

Nuppo, part of the Malangir area committee, was wanted in connection with nine criminal cases spanning Sukma and Dantewada districts. She had been evading arrest for a while, with the state government offering a ₹5 lakh reward for information leading to her capture.