Wanted Naxal, with a reward of Rs 25 lakh on his head, killed in Jharkhand

Security forces have gunned down a top Maoist commander, carrying a reward of Rs 25 lakh, in an encounter in Jharkhand's Gumla.

Officials said a joint squad of CRPF and state police killed Ashish Yadav, a member of the Bihar-Jharkhand Special Area Committee (BJ-SAC), in the jungles of Boradih forests of the district yesterday after a gunbattle.

They said Yadav had a reward of Rs 25 lakh on his head and was instrumental in launching many Naxal attacks on security forces in the two states.

An INSAS rifle, an SLR and another high calibre rifle have been seized after the operation.