Ranchi, Dec 21 (IANS): A Maoist guerrilla carrying a reward of Rs 15 lakh on his head was killed in a gunbattle with the security forces in Jharkhand's Khuti district on Monday, the police said.

Jindan Gudiya, zonal commander of the banned Maoist outfit, the Peoples' Liberation Front of India (PLFI), was killed in a joint operation by the state police and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF). Jindan was named in more than 100 criminal cases related to Maoist activities.

Jindan was wanted by the state police for a long time. He was the number two man in the PLFI after its Chief Dinesh Gope who carries a Rs one crore reward on his head. The police recovered one AK-47 rifle from the killed Maoist guerrilla.

The Khuti police received information about the presence of Maoist guerrillas at Koyansar hill in Khuti district. A joint operation was launched by the state police and the CRPF to arrest the Maoists.

When the team reached Koyansar hill, the guerrillas started firing at them to which the security forces retaliated. In the gunfight, Gudiya was killed while the other Maoists managed to escape.

According to the police, Gudiya had allegedly taken a contract of Rs five crore to kill the former Deputy Chief Minister and All Jharkhand Students' Union President Sudesh Mahto. He had made two unsuccessful attempts to assassinate Mahto.