A Maoist carrying a reward of ₹5 lakh on his head was gunned down by safety personnel in Chhattisgarh’s Dantewada district late Wednesday (March 4, 2026) night, the police stated.

Dantewada Superintendent of Police Gaurav Rai stated the Maoist was recognized as Rajesh Punem, a resident of Burji village underneath the Gangaloor police station limits in Bijapur district.

A gunfight befell on Wednesday evening within the forested hills when a joint crew of the District Reserve Guard and Bastar Fighters, each models of the State police, was out on an anti-maoist operation.

The operation was launched after the police obtained inputs that Maoists had been dumping weapons and different supplies within the forested hill area between Gumalnar, Girsapara and Nelgoda villages within the Geedam space, bordering Bijapur district.

“At 12.30 p.m., the police pressure left for the suspected dump website and was continuing forward after conducting intensive search and cordoning off the forest and hilly space. At round 8.30-9.00 p.m., 8-10 armed Maoists of Bhairamgarh Space Committee, who had been already mendacity in ambush, opened indiscriminate and lethal fireplace with unlawful computerized weapons with the intention of killing the police get together and looting the weapons,” Mr. Rai stated.

The officer added that the police instantly took cowl and warned the Maoists to give up, however they continued firing. After the trade of fireplace stopped and a search was performed, a physique was recovered and later recognized as Punem, a member of the Bhairamgarh Space Committee.

Weapons akin to a self-loading rifle, an INSAS rifle, a pistol with {a magazine} and reside cartridges, empty shells and a walkie-talkie set had been recovered, stated Mr. Rai.