Koraput: A suspected Maoist was gunned down during a fierce gunfight between a group of rebels and security personnel in the cut-off area of Malkangiri district on Friday morning. The police have recovered his body. However, he is yet to be identified.

Based on intelligence inputs about the presence of a group of Maoists near Bandhuguda forests in Papermetla police limits, a team of BSF personnel accompanied with the local police launched a search operation in the area on Thursday night.

"Around 6am on Friday, our men spotted a group of Maoists in a forested area between Bandhuguda and Lukapani. The Maoists opened fire seeing our men and we retaliated," said Malkangiri police superintendent Jagmohan Meena.

He said: "Unable to face heavy firing from the security personnel, the Maoists fled from the spot to the cover of thick forest. While coming across the spot, we recovered the body. Efforts are on to identify him," the police superintendent said.

The security personnel recovered a loaded SLR rifle and two magazines with total of 54 live bullets of a 7.62-mm gun. The police suspect that the Maoists had assembled to prepare a blueprint for some major offensive in the district.

"Targeting our men, the Maoists had planted an explosive device which was found few metres away from the crime spot while combing the area. The explosive was defused on spot," said Meena.

The Maoists have stepped up their activities in the cut-off area. They had killed a tribal youth on charges of being police informer on the night of December 9, while a former sarpanch and two of his followers were assaulted on similar charges on December 10.

The officer said as the Maoists were trying to regroup inside the cut-off area taking its geographical advantage, anti-Maoist operations had been strengthened in the area.

"At no cost will the Maoists be allowed to regroup in the area. We are closely observing the developments and counter-insurgency operations will be intensified in the district in coming days," he said.