The shootout occurred at around 2.30 pm in a forest near Neelguda village under Gidam police station area, where a team of the District Reserve Guard (DRG) was out on a counter-insurgency operation, Dantewada superintendent of police Abhishek Pallava told .
The operation was launched based on a specific input about the presence of around 20 ultras led by hardcore naxal Mallesh, commander of platoon no. 16 of Maoists, he said.
Following a brief exchange of fire when the security forces personnel tried to zero in on the ultras, they escaped into the dense forest, he said.
During a search of the encounter spot, the security forces found the bodies of Rishu Istam, deputy commander of platoon no. 16 and Maata, Pidiyakot Janmilita commander, he said.
While Istam carried a reward of Rs 8 lakh on his head, Mata had Rs 1 lakh on his head, the official said.
The security personnel also recovered two country-made firearms, a 5 kg IED, two kit bags and items of daily use were recovered from the spot, he added. TKP ARU ARU