Gaya, April 19: A central reserve police force (CRPF) jawan, Sanjay Bhadra, of Asansol in Bengal, was killed in an encounter with Maoists that started around 9am today at Nabidih Panania Tand village under Dumaria police station. Station house officer (SHO) of Imamganj police station Rashid Pervez had a miraculous escape in the encounter.

Magadh range deputy inspector-general (DIG) of police Umesh Kumar, while talking to The Telegraph over the telephone, confirmed the killing of the CRPF jawan. The DIG said that some Maoists too might have been killed or injured but their bodies could not be recovered from the encounter spot.

The encounter lasted for more than six hours during which hundreds of rounds were fired from either side.

Earlier, on getting information about the encounter, DIG and the Gaya senior superintendent of police (SSP) Vinay Kumar, Sherghati deputy superintendent of police (DSP) Mahendra Kumar Basantri had rushed to the spot. An army helicopter was pressed into service at Imamganj.

The DIG and the SSP are taking stock of the situation in the area from the helicopter.

The SHOs of Imamganj, Dumaria and Kothi were present at the encounter site with armed policemen from their respective police stations.

Besides 200 CRPF men, personnel of 159 battalion stationed at Imamganj were also engaged in the gun battle. They were assisting the district police personnel in the encounter.

At the time of filing this report, the encounter was still on. Sources said the Maoists have been opposing the panchayat elections that are scheduled to be held in 10 phases.

Voting for the panchayat elections begin tomorrow from Belaganj and Khisersarai blocks of Gaya district.

In Naxalite-hit Imamganj and Guraru blocks the elections are scheduled on May 15 and in Dumaria, Amas and Barachatti on May 18.

Recently, after being threatened by the Maoists, as many as 161 candidates of nine different panchayats under Dumaria block had withdrawn their candidature.

Aamir Subhani, secretary, home, and director-general of police Neel Mani, however, had said during a review meeting of the panchayat poll preparedness at Bodhgaya that withdrawal of candidature was a normal process during any election.