Dreaded naxalite with Rs 8 lakh reward on head killed in Gadchiroli

NAGPUR: A dreaded naxalite who was carrying a reward of Rs 8 lakh on his head has been killed in an encounter in Gadchiroli district of Maharashtra, police said today.

According to police, the 22-year-old naxalite, identified as Pramod Kachlami, was killed on September 3, but his death could be confirmed only after his bullet-ridden body was found at the encounter site yesterday by Gadchiroli police.

One woman naxalite, Kummu alias Rajju (27), too, was killed in the same encounter, which took place last week at Pomke Gatta in the Dhanora area of Gadchiroli, they added.

Subsequently, police had recovered some arms and ammunition from the site.

Although police had suspected that given the heavy exchange of fire on September 3, some more naxalites might have been either injured or killed, only the woman ultra's body was found that day.

The naxalites had opened indiscriminate firing on a police party led by Additional SP Gadchchiroli Rajkumar and the woman ultra was killed as the police personnel returned fire.

Yesterday, during routine patrolling, police searched the encounter site and found Pramod's body, who they suspected was killed on the same day as Kummu.

Police said that Pramod had probably sustained serious injuries and tried to hide in bamboo bushes, where he died later as other naxals might not have been able to reach out to him due to police presence and patrolling in the area.

The identity of the deceased was established with the help of other surrendered naxalites while DNA samples, too, were collected.

Police said that Pramod was involved in as many five encounters with police in 2014 and one earlier this year. He was carrying a reward of Rs 8 lakh on his head, they added.