Raipur, March 29 -- A Maoist cadre carrying a reward of Rs.5 lakh was killed in an encounter with security forces in Chhattisgarh's Sukma district on Sunday, police said.

A team of the District Reserve Guard (DRG) had launched a search operation based on intelligence inputs about Maoist presence, during which a gunbattle broke out in a forested, hilly area.

Sukma Superintendent of Police (SP) Kiran Chavan said that intermittent firing continued between the DRG team and Maoists since the morning hours.

"During the search of the encounter site, the body of one male Maoist along with a weapon was recovered," Chavan said.

Police identified the deceased as Moochaki Kailash, a platoon number 31 section commander (PPCM) and a resident of Poo...