Jamshedpur, Oct. 2: Six rebels were killed and over a dozen others had sustained bullet injuries in the long-drawn gun battle with paramilitary forces at Tebo Valley, 190km from here, in West Singhbhum on September 3.

The body blow suffered by the CPI(Maoist) came to light after a close associate of top Bandhgaon rebel Prasad was nabbed near a local book stall yesterday. A loaded countrymade was found on Rahul (25).

During interrogation, he told police that the Maoist leader was present during the encounter, but escaped unhurt.

“All bodies were carried away and hence, we had no toll so far. The injured were treated at various private nursing homes in Ranchi, Lohardaga and Gumla,” West Singhbhum SP Pankaj Kamboj said.

The SP added that Rahul was being forwarded to judicial custody today, but would soon be taken into police remand for further grilling.