India, Oct. 25 -- A Maoist leader allegedly linked to the improvised explosive device (IED) blast in Assam's Kokrajhar district that damaged nearly two feet of railway track in the early hours of Thursday was killed in a police encounter in Kokrajhar, police said.

The deceased, Ipil Murmu alias Rohit Murmu, sustained severe injuries during the exchange of fire in the Nandangiri area of Salakati in the early hours of Saturday, according to Kokrajhar Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Pushpraj Singh.

"We launched a search operation last night and located them in a hilly area of Nandangiri. They were in a group and suddenly attacked the police with firearms. Our team retaliated, and the others fled the area. We found one injured person ...